Into the Wrong Hands
by Lady Knight of Kennan
Summary: Everyone writes about people falling into Tortall and into the hands of the good guys. But what would happen if someone fell into Tamora's world into the hands of Tortall's greatest and most vengful enemy? *We're back, FINALLY, ofr chapter 11* plz reveiw
1. Chapter One

A/N: okay, this is my first serious fic, so all reviews are welcome, and erm, highly recommended if you want the story to continue. So, flame me or say it was great, just please read and review!  
  
  
  
"Theo!" a voice yelled over the din of the crowd. "Theo, over here!" a boy waved to a girl, looking for a place to sit in the stands of the high school football stadium. She saw the boy, waving madly, while trying to save two seats next to him. The girl, Theodora, but better known as Theo, laughed. She started up the stands, and met the boy half way. As they walked back to their spot on the top level, they started talking.  
  
"So, Justin, have you been staking out our place long??" Theo asked the boy teasingly. He looked at her sideways, and slid onto the bench. Theo sat next to him, and they made room as if expecting another.  
  
"Theo, you know that I have been here since five!" he mock glared at her. She laughed again; it was a beautiful sound. 'She is awfully pretty,' Justin admitted to himself, although he would never tell her that. Theodora had beautiful auburn hair that was always a mass of curls. She was tan, with freckles that told of summer days in the sun. She was fashionable, with out looking snobbish or preppy about it. Justin could never figure out how she could always look like she had stepped out of a teen girls magazine, but never where makeup, not be interested in other guys, and never acted like she had it all, even if she did. They had been best friends since grade school, and now, sophomores in high school, he was just starting to like her more than just a best friend. He was sure that she did not feel the same way, so he would never share his thoughts, however often they swam to the surface of his thoughts.  
  
While he had been thinking, Theo had looked back at the football field, where the opposing school was mutilating their JV football team. Theo winced as an opposing linebacker tackled their quarterback, and looked up at Justin, then past him. Her face broke into a wide grin as she greeted her long time friend.  
  
"Hey Sara! How's it going?" she asked the newcomer happily. The two talked, while Justin looked out at the field not really seeing it. He was thinking about Theo, something that he did often these days, and it didn't exactly make him happy. He knew all of her secrets; they shared everything, apart from his crush on her. He knew her deep love of reading, even if he couldn't understand it. She had always been a straight A student, endlessly reading; mostly books about fantasy, and princesses' getting the prince, or wizards and witches saving the day. Her favorite books now were something about magic, and female knights, and girls who could talk to animals. He didn't really get it, and didn't need to. He had never liked reading, and it had always been his worst subject. His love in school was math, and Theo hated it, as he hated reading. He was always trying to tutor her in math, and she was always bugging him to read more. Their friendship was the proof that opposites attracted.  
  
As Justin was lost in dreamland, the JV football game had ended, and there were many more people in the stands now. The Varsity was the only reason people came to the games, and tonight was homecoming game, and the stadium promised to be more crowded than usual. Other friends of Theodora and Justin began to sit around them, and soon everyone was occupied in a conversation, even Justin. All, except one. Theodora was now thinking, ignoring everyone else. Unlike Justin, she did not stare blankly on to the field. She stared at Justin, and a warm, tingly feeling came over her and she was suddenly giddy. She started noticing for the first time as a girl, how his blond hair just fell into his gorgeous blue eyes. And his Tommy T- shirt showed off his deep tan from trying to learn how to surf that summer. 'When did he become so cute?' she asked herself absently, 'and when did I start noticing that he was? OH NO!' her mind screamed when she realized what she had been saying, even if it was to herself. 'I can't like Justin,' she reasoned with herself, knowing she was lying to herself. 'He's my best friend! What would he do, or say for that matter, if I told him?' she knew she couldn't tell him this newfound crush, or whatever it was. She was convinced that he would laugh at her. She continued to think about this strange new feeling, until Justin nudged her shoulder. She turned sharply, startled.  
  
"Hey Theo," he started, "you want to come with me to get some pizza or nachos or something?"  
  
"Sure!" she answered, secretly happy for a chance to be alone with him, and hating herself for that thought. They told their friends where they were going, and miraculously, none of them offered to come with them. Justin was surprised, but immediately saw that they had probably guessed that he liked her, and wanted to get some time alone.  
  
They started down the stands, fighting and dodging other people trying to get to their seats, or down to the ground like they were. Halfway down the stands, a large man, with a tray full of nachos, a pizza and two drinks, knocked into Theo, who Justin happened to be holding onto so they wouldn't loose each other. They started to pummel down the concrete steps. After a few seconds, both of the teens noticed that it did not feel as if they were crashing into concrete steps and tons of people, but rather like being pulled swiftly down, or falling. Both only saw a blur, and felt a tug on their stomachs. They landed in a heap, sprawled on top of each other.  
  
Theo was confused. She should be drenched in coke and aching after falling all that way down the stadium, and lying on a disgusting gum encrusted concrete floor. Instead, she didn't hurt, and she felt as if she was lying on fresh grass on a spring night. When both teens got their vision back, and could sit up and look around they did so. Theo sat up with her eyes closed, rubbing them. She heard Justin draw a ragged breath, as if he saw something that frightened him. She opened her eyes quickly, looking up, and screamed. 


	2. Chapter Two

Theo looked up and screamed. Her face was inches away from a man's, ands it had startled her. The man himself was scary, with deeply tanned skin, and black paint lining all around his almond shaped eyes, that were so dark that they could be black. Her whore an expression of confusion mixed with anger. She didn't like that look.  
  
She quickly stopped screaming when the scary man moved towards her. She backed up on her hands and bottom, knocking promptly into Justin behind her. He didn't say anything, and that was when Theo noticed that men that looked the same as the first scary man surrounded them. They were all wearing the same outfit, strange looking loose fitting pants, which looked to be made out of some sort of brown wool. They also had on dirty tan looking shirts that billowed around the arms. The entire outfit looked to Theo like what she had seen in old movies about the Middle Ages.  
  
"How.where. what." she began, but didn't continue. She was so confused that she was not in the school stadium, but in this strange place with people surrounding her that looked like they wanted to kill her that she didn't know where to begin.  
  
"I have no idea." Justin whispered to her, already knowing her question. She nodded mutely. All of the men surrounding them stared as if the two teenagers were a catch of fish brought in from sea, and they did not like what they had caught. The ring of silent men around them broke in front, and a man stepped into the circle. This man looked different from the others. Instead of worn out looking pants and shirts, this man had on expensive looking clothes that didn't look the least bit dirty. The other men backed slightly away from this man, as if he were someone to fear. The other reason that he looked different from the others was that he was glowing. He had all around him an aura of red fire. Theo gasped when she saw him, and she felt Justin next to her tremble slightly. The man looked at them as if they had two heads or were terribly disfigured.  
  
The glowing man leaned close to the teens and said something on a tongue that neither of them even remotely understood. He repeated himself, sounding annoyed that they weren't answering.  
  
"What!?" asked Justin quietly. "We don't understand you."  
  
The man continued to ramble on a completely different language, and he acted as if they were defying him in some way by not understanding. He finally gave up on them, and began to talk quietly to one of his companions. Justin and Theo continued to stare, not quiet sure what was going on. Men from behind grabbed them both, and as Theo turned to see what they were doing, she saw a flash of light, and her world went dark.  
  
  
  
In Carthak, during Emperor Mage  
  
"Numair, I felt it also," Alanna, the Lioness, and the King's Champion said to the mage Numair Salamin. "It felt as if space itself was altered for a moment."  
  
"That was indeed what it felt like Alanna," Numair answered her. "I also felt something fall through that altered space. Most likely they are form another world. My question is, what world, and what purpose do they serve the emperor, if any at all?"  
  
"Numair?" asked a smaller voice.  
  
"What is it Daine?" Numair looked at the young girl sitting on the couch next to the lioness. She had blue-gray eyes, and was wearing a light blue dress, that was quite fitting, Numair thought.  
  
"Numair," she started, "how did you know that people fell through?" she asked him, looking slightly confused.  
  
"I am not sure," he told her. "I just felt it, and I just knew. I believe it was two young people, but I can't be sure."  
  
Daine looked at him, puzzled for a moment, and then shrugged. She knew that he knew things that she didn't, and that his powers were plenty, so she didn't question his judgment. "So, what are we going to do about this," she paused, unsure of what to call Numair's hunch. "This thing," she supplied.  
  
"We can't do anything while we're here," Alanna put in. "It's too risky with the Emperor watching our every move."  
  
"I agree," Numair said to them both. "I would have liked to conducted further testing, but the timing is not good. We shall just have to wait for a more opportune time." With that he flicked his fingers toward the walls, and all of the black fire that covered them sprang back to his hands. He nodded to the ladies, and strode out of the room, leaving the two 'ladies' thinking hard in his wake.  
  
  
  
Theo awoke slowly, taking in the white walls of her surroundings. She sat up, confused for a moment, because she wasn't in her own home, but in a small room, with white plastered walls with no decorations at all. There was a door, but it had no apparent handles and no way to get out. Theo suddenly remembered then what had taken place the night before. She once again fell into despair.  
  
"Oh good, your up." She heard a voice behind her and whirled around. It was only Justin. She sighed. "You were asleep for a while after I woke up. I was worried" he gave her a shaky smile.  
  
She tried to smile at him, knowing it was in vain. She felt lost, and had no idea what had even happened to her and Justin. "What happened? Where are we?" And who are those guys and what do they want?!" She got more rushed with each question, and was starting to loose all hope of surviving through this.  
  
"Hey, Theo!" Justin said, surprised at her outburst. "It'll be alright," he told her, although there was no conviction in his voice. Theo knew that he had no idea if things would 'be all right' as he said, but he was trying to make her feel better. She appreciated it all the same.  
  
"Thanks," she told him, wiping a tear away. "What are we going to do?"  
  
"I don't know," he looked down. "I guess we're just going to have to wait for those." he paused, "guys, to do something." The thought immediately chilled Theodora to the bone. She shuddered, involuntarily. Justin felt her shudder, and put an arm around Theo to comfort her. She leaned into him, and put her head on his shoulder, feeling safe for a moment. Justin sighed, feeling tired and worn. Theo looked up, to ask him what was wrong, and caught his eye. Their gazes held for a moment and the two leaned forward for what they had both wanted to do for a long time.  
  
Just as the two touched lips, a sudden sound came from the door. The teens looked at the door with apprehension, waiting to see if their death was upon them, opening the cage door. 


	3. Chapter Three

Into the Wrong Hands  
  
Chapter three  
  
A/N: okay, I would like to thank all of those who reviewed!! THANX!! And here is the chapter! If you read this and do not review it, I will have to… to… to… well, I'll just do something mean!!! ( please please please please review!!! That is all I ask, thank you and happy reading!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Theo and Justin, and come on folks, we all know who the others belong to! Tamora Pierce, DUH!!! But with that said, lets get in with the story!  
  
  
  
Last time: Just as the two touched lips, a sudden sound came from the door. The teens looked at the door with apprehension, waiting to see if their death was upon them, opening the cage door.  
  
  
  
The door slowly creaked open, and two men stepped in. Theo impulsively scooted back some, pressing her back against Justin. He held her hand, and together they looked at their captors. They looked the same as Theo had remembered them. With deeply tanned skin, and dark brown eyes. This time, though, they had no paintings around their eyes, and they were defiantly different people than those that Theo and Justin had first encountered. To Theo's amaisment, both men were both carrying…  
  
Swords!? Theo thought wildly. Why would anyone carry a sword? This is the twenty-first century, not medieval times! Theo wasn't so certain though. She had seen a lot of weird stuff in the last few hours, and she was willing to bet her life savings that it was about to get weirder. After looking at the two teens for a few moments, one of the two men stepped forward. He came very close to the two, very scared at the moment, teenagers, and looked down at them. He said something very slowly then, in a language that neither Theo nor Justin could even begin to decipher. They stared blankly back at the man, identical looks of confusion on their faces.  
  
The man continued to stare at them, as if expecting an answer. He looked to be growing more annoyed as the time lapsed on, Theo could tell from his facial expressions. He finally shouted in their faces, very angry, still in that extremely foreign language. Theo and Justin simultaneously backed up a couple of inches, still holding hands. They were very frightened now, and didn't know how to let these captors know that they couldn't understand anything.  
  
After about a minuet of the man yelling, Justin suddenly stood up, letting go of Theo's hand and yelled in the man's face, "WE CANT TELL WHAT YOUR SAYING!!!!!!!!!" Justin didn't know how this would affect the man, and he wasn't sure if it had been the right thing to do, but he couldn't sit around and say nothing when someone was yelling at him.  
  
The man stared at Justin for a moment, openly seething with apparent anger, and then said something rapidly in that language to his man behind him. Abruptly, four more of the men, these ones with very large muscles, Theo noticed, came inside the door and went to the two teens. Theo knew what they were going to do, and stood quickly to grab Justin's hand again. Of all things, the least thing she wanted to happen was to be separated from Justin. The new men didn't even pause; they proceeded into the room, where two men grabbed Justin's arms, and two grabbed Theo's. Justin fought to get loose from their grip, cursing the men with everything he could think of, but to no avail. Theodora knew it was useless to resist, the men would easily over-power her, so she went along with them, trying not to cry out from the fear and the pain of the men grabbing her arms with iron grips. The men took them out of the white room, into a darkened hallway. They proceeded down it, with the man who had spoken to them in to front, then Justin and his captors, Theo and hers, and finally, the man who had said nothing this entire time.  
  
As they were going down the hallway, Theo's mind was racing with random thoughts about her friends and family at home, and wondering where on earth they were, and how they had gotten here, and where these men were taking them. She was terribly afraid, but also felt strong in spite of her present situation. She couldn't have explained the feeling if she tried, but it was their all the same. Ahead of her she could hear Justin still cursing and fighting the men who held him, and she rolled her eyes. Just like a guy to fight the impossible. She wasn't annoyed at him, just with him because he was wasting energy on a useless task.  
  
"Stop fighting you meathead!" she called up to Justin. Her captors made now move to stop her from speaking, so she continued. "You are only wasting energy when you might need it later." He said nothing back, but she could hear him stop fighting the men, and stop cursing. She smiled slightly in spite of herself. She was in no way pleased to be in this situation, but she couldn't help feeling better when Justin took her advice. Normally she would have added an 'I told you so,' but that hardly seemed appropriate here.  
  
They had been walking down the hallway with none of the walls changing color or shape, and without any doors on either of the walls, making left and right turns with no apparent order to them. Theo had started to try and count and keep track of them, but she soon realized that this was not possible, and that even if they could escape, the last place they would want to go was back to that room. Now, with about ten minuets of walking, in the same position with her hands being held roughly behind her back, the hall appeared to have an end to it. Theo could see that the hall did end very soon, and it ended with a door. Theo, for reasons she could not explain, did not want to go through that door. She didn't know what it was, but she felt colder as she drew nearer to the door. The hallways here had lights in the ceiling, but they were high up, and she couldn't see them. Nevertheless the hallway was much brighter than the others they had been walking through, bright enough for Theo to see Justin ahead of her, not struggling with the men anymore, but she could see that he was tense, and knew that he was as apprehensive about her about that door. As they approached it, Theo could feel the men that held her so tightly tense also, and this reaction from these men who looked like they could pull up sequoia trees single-handedly only made Theo feel very afraid of what laid behind those doors, instead of only slightly afraid. The felling was not pleasant.  
  
They reached the door; the first guy (the one who had yelled at the two teens) opened it to admit the rest of the party. As Theo watched Justin's guards drag him in-he was again struggling, and Theo didn't care if he was, she felt like struggling herself. When they got into the room, Theo caught a brief glance of a man standing on a raised platform of some kind, before she was forced onto her hands and knees by the two guards. When she fought them, not sure what was going on, she was only forced down again, and this time her head was pushed down until her forehead touched the floor. She suddenly thought of the movie she had seen a few years ago, Anna and the King. She remembered in the movie that everyone in the presence of the emperor had knelt like this, on their knees with their foreheads on the floor. She realized with a shock that all of these people had the features of Asians. She wondered for a moment if she had been transported somehow to Thailand or something. She didn't understand how she went from her school's homecoming football game to Thailand, but a lot of what she had seen had not made sense, and Theo was now open to many new suggestions that made no sense.  
  
After a few minuets of keeping her forehead on the ground, someone above her said something; the men once again grabbed her arms and roughly pulled her to her feet again. She looked to her left, where Justin was being dragged up also. She caught his eyes, and they looked at just each other for a moment. Theo saw fear in his eyes, and a glint of determination. She knew that he saw terror in her eyes, and she did not care at the moment. After a second the men holding her arms forced her to look forward. She saw once again the man standing on the raised platform. Her first reaction was complete awe. The man had a aura around him, not of fire, but of dignity. He looked, there's no other word for it, Theo thought, he looked like he was a king of some great nation, with an air of great stature. He was Asian looking, with dark tanned skin. He had his hair braided in what Theo would normally refer to as dreadlocks, but the seemed to shimmer with glitter, and they the braids had gold beads woven into them. They looked good, Theo thought in spite of herself. He also had gold, eye shadow?! Theo thought wildly. He had gold eye shadow on his eyes, lips and she even caught a glitter from his eyelashes. The man had on loose, expensive looking, silky tan pants that went well with his silk silk-blue shirt. That was when she noticed the rings; practically one on each finger, and he had on a few toe rings. Theo also noticed that he had bracelets on his wrists and ankles. Something about this man's appearance reminded her of something. She didn't know what, but she ignored the feeling for now and concentrated on the man in fornt of her. This is really creepy. Theo thought to herself after taking in all of his appearance. Were somewhere in Thailand with a cross dressing guy who we have to bow at?!?!? She didn't know what to make of this.  
  
The man finished staring at them, and looked at the man who seemed to be in charge, the one who had yelled at her and Justin in the beginning. That seemed so long ago, Theo thought suddenly. The man on the platform turned back to the captives, and Theo caught his gaze for a moment. She saw hatred in those eyes, and the sight made her terrified of him before he even started talking. He spoke to them in the same language that the first man had spoke to them in, and Theo was for a moment glad that she couldn't understand what he was saying.  
  
"Great," Justin muttered to Theo under his breath. Theo heard his voice crack just a little, and she knew he was just as scared of this man as she was. Justin continued, "More people who are going to scream at us because we cant understand them!"  
  
The man's face suddenly changed in an instant. He looked at the two teenagers with surprise and amazement, and it then took on a look of contempt.  
  
He began to speak, and Theo and Justin both stared in amazement at him.  
  
"I," he began in English, and a frighteningly superior tone, "I am his royal highness, Orzorn, Emperor of Carthak, the most powerful country in all of the Eastern lands."  
  
Theo stared at him open mouthed for a moment, and then stated loudly, "Oh my F***ing God!! I'm in Carthak!" 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: okay every one, you know the drill. I do not own any of the peeps you recognize. Such as Ozorne, Daine Alanna, and anyone else from the wonderful world of Tamora Pierce. Get the picture? Okay good, now lets get on with the story…  
  
  
  
Last time: Theo gasped ,"oh my f***ing god, I'm in Carthak!"  
  
The emperor looked at Theo oddly after her small outburst, but all Theo could do was stare back at him with her mouth open. Justin was completely confused. Theo seemed to recognize the guy in front of them, but he had no idea who they were. 'What the hell is Carthak?!' He thought. As Theo got control of herself, meaning she stopped gaping at the richly dressed man in front of them.  
  
He then looked at the man who had said he was, 'wait a sec,' Justin thought, 'what did he say his name was? Ozone or something?' he decided to take a risk, and looked at the Emperor. "ummm," Justin started, unsure of where to begin. "umm, so, you speak English?" he asked the emperor. The emperor turned his gaze from fixed on Theo to Justin. Justin shuddered involuntarily from the look that the man gave him.  
  
"yes. I speak common. What is the land that you cam form and why are you here?" the emperor asked, matter-of-factly.  
  
Justin looked at Theo to see if she was inclined to answer, but she was staring at the ground with a strange look on her face, as if she was trying to figure something very important out. "er, well, we," Justin had no idea how to explain that he had no idea how they got here, so all he said was, "I don't know. We were at the homecoming game and we fell down the stadium, and then we ended up here. Then we saw these really scary people and we…" he paused here, not sure if it would be wise to say that they were knocked unconscious by nothing in particular. "well, we woke up later in this white room thing, and we were forced to come here." He trailed off at the end, not really wanting to elaborate on the forcing to come here part. The emperor looked at Justin as if he were very ignorant, and then again looked at Theodora. Theo stopped looking as if she was trying to figure something out, and looked at the emperor again. She looked at him with knowing in her eyes, and the Emperor of Carthak saw this. He knew this girl knew who he was, and where she was. He knew that she was smart, and that that fact could be dangerous; for both him and the girl.  
  
  
  
Theo had recognized the Emperor of Carthak immediately after he had made his announcement. He looked a bit different from what she had pictured from the descriptions in the book by Tamora Pierce that she had at home, but it was defiantly him. After getting over the initial shock of being in the world of her favorite books, she began to think about a way out. She had no idea why or when they were put here in Carthak, but she did have a small idea of how they had been brought. She knew that mages from Carthak had tried to make a hole in the barrier from the Devine realms and the human ones, so she guessed that they had to have had a few failures before they got it right. Or, she thought as the emperor mage questioned Justin on how they go here, she guessed that mages may have been trying another spell, and it got messed up somehow. She didn't know which option she wanted to believe. She needed to know when this was, and soon, before she could establish any other guesses. She knew they needed to get out of the emperor's hands. They would surly be used for some plan, and Theo knew that she wanted nothing to do with the emperor mage and his plans for his country. She had to find a way to get the information from the emperor with out realizing he was giving it. She had to ask him a question that would seem like one anyone could ask, but that would tell her the year. She got an idea just as the emperor turned to look at her again.  
  
He looked her over once with those bone-chilling eyes, and Theo gave him look for look. She would not let the emperor have the satisfaction of knowing that he scared her to death. She got ready, and asked her all- important question.  
  
"Emperor Ozorne." She said, trying to curtsy, and failing miserably. "Emperor, I have a question to ask you." She told him, trying to be as diplomatically as possible. She took a deep breath for courage, and plunged ahead. "I would like to know how fares your nephew, the Prince and heir apparent, Kaddar. How old would he be these days?" Theo knew that she had done the best she could, and prayed that the emperor would not see through her tactic.  
  
The emperor showed the slightest trace of surprise at her question, but got a hold of himself immediately and narrowed his eyes at Theo. She quivered under his gaze, but listened when he replied, "My nephew is in perfect health, thank you. He is sixteen this year, and studying at the royal university."  
  
Theo could barely contain her excitement at this news. The price was sixteen when Daine and them came from Tortall, she thought, so they should be here, or be coming here soon. And if we can get away in time, maybe we can hitch a ride to Tortall! Theo thought excitedly. We would be a lot safer there than here. She was already working on ideas for escape at that moment, and the others present in the room noticed. Justin looked at Theo from the corner of his eye, and she looked like she had found something very important. He could tell she was no longer paying attention to the emperor, and off in her own little world. He had no idea what the two were talking about and who this Kaddar was, but it seemed important to her, so he figured it had to be important in their present situation. Maybe she knows how to get us out of here.  
  
Justin was not the only one watching Theo. Theo emperor watched the girl in front of him very carefully. He knew that she was trying to think of ways to escape capture, but he was confident that they would never escape. He didn't know why the strange girl needed to know about his nephew, but he figured that being a female, and having heard of Carthak and himself, that she would be interested in his heir. He didn't care about that. He knew full well that his mages had brought the two young people here, but he wanted to know what they thought had happened to them, and was delighted that they had no idea. He wanted to keep them ignorant of his plans for the Tortallans that were in his palace, and he planned to never give them a chance to get away from him and Carthak. He continued to look the two over, and noticed that they were still being held by his guards. He smiled knowing it must hurt to be held so tightly for so long. He quickly thought of the mage Arram draper, or Salmalin as her was called now. He wished passionately that the man who had betrayed him so many years ago would be caught between two guards as these two were. He decided to end the too- long silence, and started to speak to the teenagers.  
  
"You have been brought here for a purpose, and you will soon find that purpose out. But not now, I want the two of you to sit quietly, and await your fate. You will help me be rid of the easterners forever, and you will help me win my war. At the expense of the gods' wrath, I have many grand plans for the two of you. And when the war is over, you can be my slaves. I will much enjoy having you in my company." He added, looking to Theodora. She stared back at the emperor, unfazed. She thought his ideas repulsive, and didn't bother to think about them. She knew that she would be out of the grasp of this emperor before he could begin his 'grand plans'. That, or she hoped that she and Justin would be free, she couldn't be sure about anything anymore.  
  
The emperor made a motion with his hand, as if waving away a fly, and the guards still holding onto the two tightened their grip, and dragged them out the now open door and into the hallway once more. Theo knew that she had to execute her plan soon, or she wouldn't have the courage to do it at all. As they were walking down the gloomy hallway, with Theo and her guards in front this time, Theo tried to observe her surroundings. She noticed that there were a ton of hallways leading every which way, but she had no idea how the men leading knew where they were going. She needed to get away form the guards, and she had an idea of how to get them off of her, but she couldn't figure out how to get Justin free. She knew she couldn't leave with out him, but she had no idea how to get the men off of him. She had to try, she thought. It's this or nothing. She took a few deep breaths; trying to collect what courage she had left.  
  
As quickly as lighting, Theo brought up her left leg, bending it till her knee was at her stomach, she hurled back with it. At, she hoped, was the man's, well, manly parts. She was in luck. The man she had struck went down to his knees grabbing his manly area, with a look of intense pain of his dark face. Theo didn't bother to look at him for more than a millisecond, and tore out of the second guards grip before he knew what was happening. She looked behind he for a moment, and saw Justin, who had only one man holding onto him. The other was down by his partner, trying to help him up. Theo didn't stop to think. She hurled herself at the last guard, her head low, and rammed him in the stomach with all her might. He faltered, off balance, and Justin had the chance he needed. He yanked free of the guard's now weak grasp and yelled at Theo.  
  
"Come on!! This way!" as grabbed Theo's hand, turned to the back of the procession and started to run. The way was clear, and without so much as a glance back wards they ran as hard as they could down the corridor. They could both hear the guards behind them, trying to catch them before they got too far. The sounds of their pursuers gave the two strength, and they ran for all they were worth, making left and right turns randomly. They didn't want to find anything, they only wanted to loose the guards following them. Theo looked back once, after about ten minuets of running, and saw that the guards, very heavily muscled and great for strength, had no endurance. They were panting and gasping, trying to catch the two escapees. Theo was happy for a moment, and looked back ahead of her to see Justin turn another corner. She followed, and they ran together for another twenty minuets or so, Theo guessed. When both the teens looked back, not stopping in their running, they saw no one chasing them, and smiled at each other. That was a moment before they crashed into something hard, but not hard like a wall. Justin, Theo, and whatever they had crashed into went down with a "oomph" and the something let out a cry of surprise. Sprawled on the ground, out of breath form running, and terrified of having been captured again, Theo lay very still. Slowly, a head came into her view, and Theo was confused. This was not an Asian person as all of the others she had seen here had been. This was a girl, not much older looking than Theo, who had dark curly hair, and blue eyes. She looked like someone who would go to Theo's school, and she didn't know what to make of it. The girl who was standing over Theo reached out a hand to help her up, and Theo took it. When she was in a sitting position, she looked around her. The girl who had helped her up was with a young man, who had light brown skin, and whore loose pants and a shirt. Theo then looked to her right where she saw Justin receiving the same treatment she had gotten from this strange girl. The girl sat back and looked at the newcomers, obviously confused.  
  
"hi," she said pleasantly to them, "I'm Daine, what are your names, and why are you running around in the hidden passageways?"  
  
Theo looked at her with a slight amount of surprise, having used up all of hers on the emperor. "I should have known." She muttered to herself.  
  
  
  
A/N okay folks!! Here it is, my fourth chapter! Thanx for reading it this far, and I hope you liked it!! I would like to thank all the people that reviewed my story so far!!! Thank you!!!  
  
Now, listen carefully cuz this is very important. I need more reviews!!! I can't continue with out them. I hate to do this, but i need at least five more review so I can continue this story. If you liked it, let me know. I don't really mind if you flame me, its all constructive criticism, but I need at least 5 reviews before I can continue!! So, you know what to do, push the little yellow button down there and tell what you thought of my story! THANX FOLKS!!!!!!!! 


	5. Chapter Five

Into the wrong hands: chapter 5  
  
  
  
Last time: "Hi," she said pleasantly to them, "I'm Daine, what are your names, and why are you running around in the hidden passageways?"  
  
Theo looked at her with a slight amount of surprise, having used up all of hers on the emperor. "I should have known." She muttered to herself.  
  
Daine and who Theo was pretty sure was Kaddar looked at her strangely, and Justin sitting next to her looked at her.  
  
"You know these people too?!" He asked her quietly, surprise clearly evident on his face. "Where are we Theodora, and how did we get here? And why do you recognize all these people?"  
  
Theo sighed. She knew it would come to this eventually. "I don't know how we got here," she told him warily, and I don't know why the emperor wants us." She paused, not sure if she should tell Justin here, in front of Daine and Kaddar, who were presently staring at the two newcomers with great interest and confusion, that they were in the world of her favorite storybooks; that all of these people were characters that a brilliant woman in New York had thought up in her spare time. As wonderful as she thought all of Tamora Pierces characters, she was not sure how they would take finding out that they were not real. But maybe they are real, Theo thought suddenly, they're just real in another dimension or something then our world. Surly that doesn't make them any less real than us, Theo mused. She resigned to figure it all out later, and simply told Justin that she would explain the rest of his answers at a later time. Theo now turned towards Daine and Kaddar, who were talking in rapid whispers between themselves.  
  
When the two realized they had the newcomers' attention, they looked up. Daine started. "You guys did not answer my question. Why are you in the secret tunnels, and what were you running from?" There was a suspicious tone in Daine's voice, and Theo knew that they would have to gain the trust from the wildmage and the heir to the Carthaki throne before they went any further. Theo couldn't blame her. Daine did not know whom they were, and she was not going to trust everyone who just happened to run into them in these tunnels.  
  
"Well, umm, Daine…" Theo started, not sure of were to start. Justin saved her though.  
  
"Theo, and um, you guys," he said with a slight smile, looking at Daine and Kaddar, "we really need to get out of these passageways before those guards come back.  
  
Of course!! Theo thought. She stood quickly, and Justin stood with her. "He's right. The emperor's guards will find us eventually if we linger. All of this time Kaddar had not so much as moved, but at the mention of the word, 'emperor' he sat up quickly.  
  
"My uncle is chasing you?!" he asked Theo directly. Theo, startled, only nodded mutely. At this, the prince started walk down a passageway to his right. "We must leave immediately. My uncle will go to any means to get back anything he has lost." He sounded sure, and the other three followed swiftly, Theo and Justin hoping he would lead them someplace safe. The prince continued talking, mostly to himself. "We can hide them at Lindhall's quarters at the university. The only problem is getting them there." At this statement, Daine spoke up from behind Theo and Justin.  
  
"Numair can put an invisibility on them, and himself for that matter, and we can pretend to go over there for the day." She said, hope apparent in her voice.  
  
"I think I have another idea." Kaddar told them.  
  
Theo and Justin were silent, letting the more knowledgeable plan their escape. All Theo wanted was to not have to worry about anything for a while. That didn't seem like it was going to happen any time soon. She sighed, and wished she could just go home. That she had never come here. A scary realization when she remembered that when she was reading Tamora's stories, all she had wanted to do was go to Tortall. But I'm not in Tortall, a nasty little self-pitying part of Theo's mind pointed out. We didn't land in Tortall like I wanted; we had to land in the middle of a horrible battle in Carthak. Theo stopped feeling sorry for herself. She had wanted more adventure in her life, now she had it. She sighed again, and this time, Justin was by her side with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Are you alright?" he whispered to her. She nodded, and he held her hand again. Theo felt all of her worries suddenly melt away, as if she needn't be worried anymore. She knew this wasn't true. She needed to be on her guard in this place, but she wanted to just put it all on hold for a moment and just be with her best friend and crush. Justin interrupted her thoughts with a question. " Are we sure we can trust these people? And how in the world do you know them?" he asked the questions as noiselessly as possible so as not to be overheard.  
  
"First of all," she started, being equally quiet, " I know for a fact that they can be trusted. They don't like the emperor anymore than we do. And second," she paused, and went on trying not to be overheard, " I know them because they're from my books that I read. The ones by Tamora Pierce." Justin looked at her as if she was crazy, but started to realize and piece together all that had happened over the past 24 hours.  
  
"How is that freaking possible?!?" he said out loud, stopping outright in the tunnel. Kaddar turned around to look at him and Daine stared at him from behind.  
  
"I will explain later Justin." She told him forcefully, not bothering anymore to keep her voice low.  
  
"Don't be so loud," Kaddar told them, "we're almost to the gate." The walked down the corridor for about two more minuets in silence, Justin sill holding Theo's hand in his. If Daine or Kaddar noticed this, they didn't mention it. They made a right turn and came to a dead end. That was when Theo noticed the ladder that was perched against the wall. She followed it with her eyes up the wall, and she saw it on the ceiling. It was a door of some sort. Kaddar stopped here, and began climbing the ladder. When he reached the top, he pushed open the trap door a tiny bit, and looked around. He silently motioned them to follow him, and proceeded to go through the door, into the…  
  
"Sunshine!!!" Theo whispered-squealed. It seemed as if it had been forever since she had last seen it. Just just that little bit of sun excited her, and her entire outlook changed from gloomy to hopeful. Kaddar finished climbing through the whole, and motioned for them to follow him. Theo went first, and she climbed the ladder as fast as her tired muscles would allow. She wanted to be out of this horrible tunnel and into the real world. As she climbed out and sat down next to Kaddar, she looked at her surroundings. They were in a stable of some kind. Theo had never been around horses much at all, so she didn't know a lot about them, but she could see that there were many different kinds of horses in their own stalls on both sides of the corridor they were in. There were at least twenty, maybe more, and all of them had their own stall, and a trough, and saddle and reins hanging on the door. She thought it was pretty cool, despite the fact that she was in a storybook situation. When Justin and Daine had finishes climbing through the trap door, Kaddar closed it, and threw a blanket of hay over the top of it so that it looked like a normal floor again.  
  
"Come on," he told them quietly, and started towards the door to the stable, which was closed. Just as they were about to reach the door, Kaddar stopped suddenly. Theo almost bumped into him, and was about to ask why he had stopped, when she heard the reason. There were voices coming from the other side of the door. Theo could not understand them, they were in that language again, but the prince obviously did, and he motioned for them to follow him as he hurried down the corridor between the stalls, and ducked behind one. The other three followed, Daine bringing up the rear. Much to Theodora's surprise, Kaddar was not squished against a wall, but he was standing with a door way open, motioning for them to hurry. Theo could hear the voices had now entered the stable, and so she hastily ran in the door. She found herself in a small room that was dark, and looked to have dirt floors and walls. She sighed inwardly. She was beginning to hate secret rooms and passageways. As the rest of their party filed into the hallway, Kaddar shut the door, and the hallway was pitch black. Kaddar must have done some kind of spell, because he was suddenly illuminated by a fire glowing in his open palm. That's right, Theo thought, he has the gift. She suddenly remembered something, and before she could stop herself, she turned to Kaddar.  
  
"I thought you only had magic with plants?" she asked him. She realized immediately what she had just said, and hit her forehead. "Dammit" she muttered to herself. Kaddar looked at her as if she had sprouted wings. And Theo didn't know what to do. She had totally given away that she knew about them, as she had wanted to avoid.  
  
Kaddar stared at her for a moment longer, and then started, " how did you know what kind of magic I have? And who are you, really?" The last question had been an accusation, and Theo knew it. She cringed, but knew that she would need to explain now.  
  
"Umm… see, we were at the football game, and we were getting some nachos," she paused at the very confused faces of Kaddar and Daine, and then realized that they would have no idea what football was or nachos. She saw Justin out of the corner of her eye stifle a laugh. She made a face at her friend, and turned back to the prince. "Don't worry, you don't need to know what those are. Anyways, we were going down the stands, and we fell…" she paused here, not sure how to put how they got here, because she wasn't sure herself.  
  
Justin saved the day. "See," he began, "we were going down these stairs, and we fell, and we fell into here. When we should have been at the bottom of the stairs, we were in this big grassy thing, with a lot of people around us, that kinda looked like you," he pointed to Kaddar, " and one of them was umm…." Theo noticed he paused were the man cam in who was glowing. She took over, giving a look of gratitude to Justin.  
  
"He was glowing. Red. I'm assuming this means that he has the Gift, but I'm not positive." Daine and Kaddar looked surprised at this, and Theo knew that she had done it again. Let them know that she knew about their world. She cursed again under her breath, and looked back at the prince and Daine. They were not looking at her funny anymore, but Kaddar looked to be thinking hard about something, and Daine's face brightened as she watched.  
  
"That's the feeling Numair had!" she exclaimed. "He thought he felt someone drop in on Carthak the other day!"  
  
"Dropped in is right." Theo heard Justin mutter under his breath. She smiled slightly, but looked again at Kaddar. He seemed to make up whatever he was thinking about as she looked, and he turned back to the newcomers.  
  
"I am pretty sure that I know now why my uncle has brought you here, and we now need to get to the university now, before my uncle sends out search parties. And he will." He added. Theo didn't like the sound of that last part, and she shuddered. I seem to be doing that allot lately she thought to herself.  
  
Will this, Kaddar put his ear to the door that he had closed. "It's clear," he whispered. He motioned for the others to follow, and opened the door. They filed out, silent as cats. They went back into the stables main hallway, and towards the door again. This time there was no one on the other side, and they walking out into the light of day. Theo took in her surroundings. They were in a small courtyard of dirt, and Theo noticed that there were horseshoe marks everywhere on the ground. She thought of a problem, and walked to catch up with Kaddar, who was walking quickly towards some unknown destination. When she caught up with him, she turned to see his face.  
  
"How are we going to get all the way across the river with out being noticed, Kaddar?" She asked him in a quiet voice. He looked at her, and she noticed that for the first time, he didn't look sure of everything, and he might even have looked worried.  
  
"I don't know," he told her softly, and went back to thinking to himself. "I don't know."  
  
  
  
A/N: okay folks!! Here is my plea again!!!! I NEEED REVEIWS!!!!!!!!!! Desperately!!!! Please review this story if you would like it to continue!!!!!! Oh and to all the peeps who reviewed, Kristy, Safiya, Arram, Saturn, Galadriel, leafdarking, and jade dragon, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciated the feedback very much!!!!!!! Thanks a lot everyone, and PLEASE review this chapter. I need info on how u think the satory should go from here, I'm outta ideas!!!!!! So, please, if you want this to continue, please, review!!!!!!!!! Thanks, and good nite folks!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
And ps. To whoever reviewed as 'ME!!' you owe me a cookie!!!!! :D 


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: Thank you all who reviewed!!!! It meant a lot to me!!!!! Oh, and Saturn, I know I didn't really elaborate on the whole red gift thingy. It will be explained here!!! And thank you all!!! Reviews are very important to me!! (*hint hint*) :D  
  
Disclaimer: you know the drill, I don't own any characters you recognize, bla bla bla… lets get on with the story shall we!!!  
  
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Into the Wrong Hands: Chapter 6  
  
  
  
Theo was worried. Kaddar looked worried, and that made Theo worried. They had left the shelter of the stable, and were heading out of what looked like practice grounds. Kaddar led them along a path that looked to be less used than most, but Theo still felt that standing out here in the middle of the day made her an easy target. They were walking, to who knows where, when Daine let out a sort of strangled yelp from the back of the line. She ran up to Kaddar in the front, and began whispering to him in his ear furiously. Theo tried to listen in on what she was saying, but couldn't hear her at all. She turned back to Justin and gave him a what-the-hell look, and he shrugged. She held back for two seconds so he could catch up to her, and they walked side by side watching the two in front of them whispering. Suddenly, Kaddar nodded to Daine, and stopped and turned back to Justin and Theo.  
  
"Daine came up with a great plan!" he told them, his voice low. "we need to first get into the palace, but from there it should be great."  
  
Theo stared at him, her insides curling. "ARE YOU NUTS!?!?!?" She whisper- yelled. "Why would we go into the place where there are the most guards in the whole country!?"  
  
Kaddar gave her another of those How-the-hell-do-you-know-these-things look. Theo ignored him. "Because," he started in a sly whisper, "That would be the only place that he would never think you would go."  
  
Theo thought about that one for a minuet, and started to see his logic. "Ok," she told him after a while, "How do we do it?"  
  
"First, we need to get you to Numair, he can put some kind of spell so that no one will be able to see you guys, and then we can go to Lindhall's tomorrow, like we were planning. You guys will be able to stay at my teacher's, and we can talk there safely. The only problem is how are we going to get into Numair's or Daine's room?" he seemed to be asking himself these questions, and so no one answered him. After a while of Kaddar looking like he was deep in thought, an idea came to Theo, and she spoke up.  
  
"Why don't we just stay here, while you go and get Numair and bring him back?" Kaddar looked as if he were considering it for a moment, and then brightened.  
  
"Excellent!" he exclaimed, but then his face fell, and Theo could tell he'd caught a bug in his plan. "But we cannot go to Lindhall's today, we have to go tomorrow. Where will you stay tonight?"  
  
At that moment, Justin, who everyone had forgotten was there, spoke up. "What if we went back into that secret hidden room in the horse-house- thingy?"  
  
"That's a great idea Justin!" she rolled her eyes at his lack of knowledge about horses, but hugged him anyway. He hugged her, and for a moment, the two of them were alone again, with only themselves, and no one else. Kaddar let out an audibly fake cough, and Theo realized where they were, and sprang off of her one time best friend, and now crush. When did everything get so complicated, she thought to herself, as the four of them now headed back to the stable, or, horse-house-thingy, as Justin called it, to get settled for the night.  
  
They walked onto the stable, and after they made sure that no one else was in it, opened the door again. Kaddar walked in, and Theo and Justin followed. Daine stayed in the hallway, to make sure that no one came in on them. Kaddar turned when they had gotten in, and looked at the two teens.  
  
"You must be cautious. There are people out here who would want very much to get their hands on you, and not just for the emperor. He will have many guards about also, so its best if you stay quiet, and don't come out, whatever you do." The heir to the throne of Carthak looked dead serious, and shivers ran down Theo's spine from the look he was giving them.  
  
"Trust me Kaddar," she told him, " we don't want to found out either!" Justin agreed with her by nodding his head vigorously. Kaddar looked at them for a moment longer, and then nodded.  
  
"Alright," he told them, starting to back up to the doorway. "You need to stay here, and don't make any loud noises. Remember, the horses and the stablemen can hear you if you do. We will be back here a few hours after the sun rises tomorrow, and we will take you to the University." He looked unsure about this part, and that made Theo a bit nervous. She took a step towards him and took his hand.  
  
"Thank you," she told him sincerely, "thank you for helping us." He looked embarrassed at her display, and so she backed off. He nodded quickly, and closed the door behind him as he walked out.  
  
For a moment the two were in total darkness, and then Theo remembered her books, and clapped her hands loudly. Lights came on from overhead, Theo looked up at the perfectly sphere balls of light in wonder, and Justin looked up in amazement.  
  
"How did u know to do that?" Justin asked her, still looking at the ceiling. Theo laughed, and answered him.  
  
"I told you, I read the books." She sighed, remembering where they were. "How are ever going to get home," she said out loud to herself. She sat down on the floor, and all of the thoughts of her home started to come back to her. Justin looked at her for a moment, looked back up at the globes of light, and sat next to Theo.  
  
"I dunno." He told her quietly. "How about you explain some of this to me, because I have been completely lost since we fell here or whatever did happen."  
  
Theo inwardly sighed, not wanting to think right now, but she knew that her friend deserved an explanation. "I don't know half of it. But here goes… we are in a story. Tamora Pierce's book, Emperor Mage. Its all about this girl, Daine, who can talk to animals with her magic—"  
  
"Wait," Justin interrupted her, "magic?! You can't be serious. There's no such thing as magic."  
  
Theo laughed. "Sure there is. We're not in our world anymore, so the rules don't apply. There is such a thing as magic, and lots of people have it. It's a thing called 'The Gift.' You're either born with it or you're not. They use it to do all kinds of things. That's what the guy we saw that first night had. The one that was glowing with red fire. I'm guessing that he used whatever gift he had to bring us here, but I have no idea why. I think when people use their gift for a really big thing, like moving people for instance, they start to glow the color of their magic, and this guy was glowing red. At least, that's what Alanna did." Theo was now more thinking aloud to herself, than explaining to Justin, but he didn't seem to mind.  
  
"How do people know if they have magic? And what do they do with it?" Justin asked her. They were now sitting down together on the floor, leaning on one another for support, and Theo looked into Justin's eyes to answer him. She started to talk, and Justin leaned down and put his lips onto hers, before she could speak.  
  
Theo had been kissed before. She had had boyfriends like every other girl in high school. However, she had never been kissed by anyone she knew so well as her best friend since third grade. It was a totally new experience. She felt like she was going to be lost forever, and at the same time, she wanted the kiss to never end. Eventually, Justin took his lips away from hers, and looked at her.  
  
"Um, er…" he began. Theo laughed, once again. She was glad to note that Justin sounded just as unsure about this whole thing as she felt. Justin was still staring at her as if he needed an answer, so she gave him one. She put her hand behind his head, and brought him closer. She kissed him again, this time with more passion. (A/N: ok, folks, I know I know, alone in a dark room by themselves. Don't worry, this is still PG-13, and it won't go any farther!!! ( Anyway, back to the story…) they kissed, longer this time, and when Theo backed away, she could tell she had startled him, and she giggled a bit.  
  
"What," Justin asked her quietly.  
  
Theo shook her head. "Nothing," she told him. "I was just thinking about what everyone back home would have said if they had seen that!"  
  
"Probably they would have said about time!" Justin answered, and laughed. Theo giggles with him, and then stopped, thinking for a moment.  
  
Theo looked at the gloom of the rest of the room. "Do you think that they are worried about us?" she asked him quietly, serious again. "I don't know if we'll ever see them again." Justin put his hand under her shin, and gently made her look him in the face.  
  
"I know we will. We'll find a way somehow. Don't worry." Theo smiled, feeling safe for a moment, and leaned against his chest. Justin continued to think, and when he thought of another question to ask of his best friend, and now girl friend, he looked down at her. What he saw made him smile. Theo had fallen asleep, leaning on Justin. He wrapped his arms around her, protecting her from everything else in this world, and leaned back and went to sleep himself. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Into the Wrong Hands: Chapter 7  
  
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Theo woke up that morning with no clue what-so-ever where she was. For one she was lying on a cold stone floor alone, and when she opened her eyes she only saw darkness. The past day or so's memories suddenly hit her and she sat up groggily. She wondered for a moment where on earth Justin was, and a small, sarcastic part of her mind told her that she wasn't on earth anymore, so he wasn't couldn't be either. Shut up, another part of her mind told the sarcastic part. "Great," she said aloud to herself, "now I'm going nuts as well as crazy."  
  
"Well," said a voice to the right of Theo, and she started. "I don't think your nuts or crazy." Justin clapped his hands loudly and lights blazed from the ceiling of the small room. She could now see him almost clearly in the dim light. She blushed, remembering the night before and what had happened between them. Justin hugged her next to him again, and they sat there, leaning on each other for a few moments.  
  
The silence was broken by Justin asking, "What are we gonna do for breakfast?" Theo giggled and elbowed him lightly.  
  
"Is that all you ever think about is food?!" She asked him teasingly. "That's what got us here in the first place." She added as an after thought.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" he asked her, sounding a little miffed.  
  
"All I meant was that you went to get nachos and we somehow landed here." She explained soothingly. "I was only joking ya know."  
  
"I know," he murmured to her, but Theo could tell that he had stiffened defensively when she had mentioned it and now he was relaxed next to her. She sighed inwardly, and wondered if she had hurt his feelings with her teasing. She forgot about for now and leaned against him, comforted for a moment, as she always was in his arms. She closed her eyes, and breathed in his smell. `Actually,' Theo thought, `with a day or two of `roughing it' he smells pretty bad...' she giggled at that thought, and wondered how she must smell, and look for that matter. As the seconds went on, she emptied her head of all of her thoughts, and was completely relaxed for a few moments.  
  
The silence was broken a few minuets later when the two heard voices coming from the other side of the wall they were leaned against, and they were speaking in English, or common.  
  
"They have no idea how or why they got here," a male voice whispered.  
  
"Well," said another, deeper male voice, "we need to find out how they got here before we can even begin to develop a counter-spell."  
  
"It doesn't matter now," snapped a female voice quietly. "They don't know anything and they need to get somewhere safe. We can question them all we want there."  
  
Theo and Justin looked at each other for a moment as the voices got closer, and then they both sprang from the ground next to the wall and back up a few paces. They looked at the door just visible in the dim light apprehensively. There was a series of small clicks and then the door swung open to reveal three people. Two were familiar; Theo recognized them as Daine and Kaddar. The other was a man, at least two heads taller than Daine and Kaddar. He had raven black hair, and deep brown eyes. His tan skin looked like he spent days at the beach. `He is FINE!' someone in Theo's thoughts yelled out. She mentally slapped herself across the face. `He is Daine's man.' She thought furiously, `She just don't know it yet.' Theo smiled at this thought, and then walked towards the three.  
  
"Numair Salamin, I presume?" she asked him, as polite as possible.  
  
Numair looked at her quizzically before answering hastily, "Yes. I am Numair, but lets not talk now. We need to get to the university first, so lets get to work." At the last comment, he slapped his hands together and rubbed them like a gleeful child about to receive a bag of sweets. Theo wondered about his for a moment, but put the thought away for now. Numair closed his eyes and put his palms out in front of him, muttering words that no one understood under his breath. Theo watched intently, as she saw a spread of black magic swirled with white flow from his fingers towards herself and Justin to surround them. Theo also noted that it surrounded Numair as well, and then remembered that he was restricted to the palace while he was here. When the black light cleared Justin, Theo and Numair had auras of light black fire surrounding them. When Theo looked to Daine and Kaddar the two were looking through the other three.  
  
"Is the black fire the stuff that makes us invisible, or the power from the fire?" Theo asked Numair,  
  
Numair looked sharply at her, while Daine and Kaddar gave each other strange looks.  
  
"What black fire Theo?" Justin asked from behind them.  
  
Theo looked wildly from Numair to Justin and back to Numair, who was currently giving her a strange look. "You can't see the black fire that's surrounding us?" she asked Justin. He shook his head at her, and gave her a what's-going-on look. Theo shrugged, to tell him she didn't know, and turned back to Numair. "How come I can see your gift?" she tried to control her voice, but a tremor went through her voice.  
  
Numair looked at her a moment longer before answering. "I do not know of anyone that can `see' others gifts, but you seemed to be able to. I think I am beginning to put the puzzle pieces together." He looked thoughtful for a moment, before saying aloud, "we need to leave now, before more guards start searching, and our route to the university is blocked." Kaddar nodded to his command, even if he couldn't see the mage. Theo was thinking about what Numair had said, and wondered what he had meant by `puzzle pieces'. She thought all the while as they walked outside into the courtyard, and Kaddar and Daine mounted horses. She wondered for a moment how they were going to keep up with them, but then realized that they would not be galloping, but walking slowly in this city traffic. There were tons of people crowding the streets that Theo could see, and she was excited for a moment. They were going to the university, to get some answers to why they were here, and be safe at last.  
Justin cam up behind her, and took her hand in his, and they walked beside the horses, invisible to all of Carthak and its people for the moment.  
  
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A/N: OK folks!! What did ya think!? Kool, sucky, too short. Come on, all you have to do to get more of this story is press the little button down there that says `review'. It's not that hard. I know u can all do it. AND U BETTER!!!!! I need more helpful wonderful reviews from all u nice people. And everyone who reviewed earlier, THANX!!!!!! I will try and hurry w/ the next chapter, but u know how it goes.... School is, well, school!! Latter folks!!!!! 


	8. Chapter Eight

Into The Wrong Hands: Chapter Eight  
  
Disclaimer: you all know the drill… I don't own anything, x-cept Theo and Justin, and   
Tamora Pierce owns the rest.. bla bla bla!!  
  
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As the group walked down the streets of Carthak to the river's wharf, Daine and Kaddar   
rode atop their horses, with Kitten riding in a saddlebag on Daine's horse. Very large   
guards with swords at their waists and huge biceps cleared the way of the peasants   
crowding the streets. This made things a great deal easier for Theo, Justin and Numair.   
They were able to walk freely down the entire way, staying close to the horses, while not   
being jostled by the crowd. Numair walked a ways behind the horses, while Theo and   
Justin were strolling to the left of Daine. Numair eyed the two teens with apprehension.   
He was not certain what was going on with this girl, but he was quite certain that she was   
the tool that Ozorne wanted to wield to destroy the eastern lands. How, he was not   
certain, but the 'puzzle pieces' as he had called them, were beginning to fit together, and   
the finishing image of the puzzle was turning out to be disturbing. He had not alerted any   
of the delegation that had come to Carthak with them, although he had been dangerously   
close to explaining it all to Alanna when Daine had come to him and explained the   
situation. He knew that she would have wanted to be clued in, but he knew that the less   
people knew of their plans, the better.   
  
As Numair was thinking, Justin and Theo walked hand in hand, oblivious to the rest of   
the world. After a few minutes of silence, the two were brushing shoulders and giggling,   
obviously not considering the dangers of what they were doing. Neither heard the   
shadow that approached from behind, and both were startled completely when someone   
from behind put their hand on Theo's shoulder and spun her around.   
  
Theo almost gave a scream, but remembered only just in time where they were, and who   
they were surrounded by. She also quickly saw who had grabbed her shoulder, and   
recovered herself. Numair held onto the girl, and glared at both of them. He was an   
imposing figure, standing at least a foot taller than Theo. Both Theo and Justin stopped   
in the middle of the street and stared at the world's most powerful mage, now glaring   
fiercely at the two of them.  
  
"Do either of you realize the danger you are in?" he whispered in a cold voice, while   
steering them forward again. "The Emperor of Carthak most likely has nearly all of his   
guard out looking for the two of you, many of whom are mages, and you are parading   
down the middle of the street like you belong here!" he seemed to be fuming now, and   
his grip on Theo's arm was like iron. Theo was suddenly very afraid of the mage at the   
moment, and she looked swiftly at Justin to see his reaction. He looked startled, but not   
afraid, and Theo wanted to be courageous, but the mage had a Grip of Death on her   
shoulder, and was nearly pushing her through the streets.   
  
Theo and Justin were especially glad when they could see the river, and from there they   
soon stepped onto a boat which, Theo was unhappy to note, was rowed by slaves. She   
didn't like seeing that, but knew that there was nothing she could do now to help them,   
and looked away for the time being. At least Numair had let go of her arm. She rubbed   
it absent mindedly, sitting next to Justin in a remote corner of the boat. Theo could see   
Numair, shrouded in a black glow, as was herself and Justin, talking in low whispers to   
Daine, who was holding the sky-blue baby dragon in her lap. It was obvious to Theo that   
both Kaddar and Daine could not see them, but they could hear them, and probably feel   
them if anyone got close enough. Theo wondered about the dragon though. Wasn't she   
supposed to be able to sense invisible people? She wondered. Then she saw that the   
young dragon was busy eating what was left of Daine's lunch, and would most likely let   
everyone know that they were there when they wanted to.   
  
Numair walked away from Kaddar then, and went to join Theo and Justin in their corner.   
He was careful not to let anyone touch him, and he sat down next to Theo. Theo sat up,   
her back straight, a bit nervous, and didn't say anything. The world's greatest mage had   
been mad at her a few moments earlier, and she was not sure if he was still angry.   
Numair was the first to break the awkward silence. A thought zipped through her mind,   
and she wondered wildly if Numair would turn her into a tree if he got angry enough.   
She almost giggled aloud at the thought, but held it in, waiting for Numair to speak.  
  
"Theo. Justin, I am sorry that I spoke harshly," he began in a whisper, "but you must   
understand. The emperor does not like his captives escaping, and he will put all of his   
force behind looking for the both of you in secret. I am trying to protect you-" At this,   
Theo interrupted him.  
  
"And we know that it was at a great risk to yourself, with the Emperor suspicious of you   
and all." She told him, looking him in the eye now. "We greatly appreciate all that you   
and Daine and Kaddar have done for us." At this Justin nodded empathetically next to   
her, and she continued. "and we are sorry that we weren't paying attention. We didn't   
mean to upset you." She hoped that she had made him believe her, and she really was   
sorry.  
  
Numair looked at her quizzically for a moment, and then stated, "We need to have a very   
long chat at Lindhall's." Theo didn't understand this comment, and she was about to ask   
him what he meant, when talk from the boats crew became audible, and the boat docked   
gently with the opposite side of the river. Theo looked at what was supposed to be the   
greatest place of learning in the world, the Imperial University. Or the greatest place of   
learning in their world anyway, She thought to herself. Numair stood up, and waited for   
Daine and Kaddar to mount their horses, and ride off the boat. The three followed   
closely behind them, and waited patiently while hostlers took the horses at the gates.   
Theo took the opportunity to take in everything that she saw.  
  
The university was gigantic. They walked through a huge gate onto a beautiful campus,   
full of sloping lawns and wide paths lined with small stones. They went into an entry   
room for a building that had gigantic blue pillars in the front. The entry room itself had   
enormously tall ceilings, with huge mosaics on the wall. Theo remembered them from   
the descriptions in the book, but seeing them in real life was completely different, and   
she was amazed at the detail of all of them. The mosaics, too, awed Daine, but Theo had   
expected that. Daine had stopped in the middle of the room to take it all in; the   
fountains, the plants, and the mosaics decorating the walls. Theo smiled to herself, and   
waited while Kaddar spoke quietly to Daine, explaining about the mosaics history.   
  
Theo was just about to mention something about running out of time to Numair, who   
stood next to her, when Theo saw Kaddar tweak Daine's nose from the corner of her eye.   
She smiled absently, remembering a story she had read about one tweak too many on a   
website once.   
  
"There you are!" a voice rang out. The source appeared to be the tall man in a robe   
flapping behind him, walking up to Daine and Kaddar. Theo guessed that this was   
Lindhall Reed. He had tanned skin, and blonde hair-with only a few silver streaks to tell   
of his age- and bright blue eyes. At the moment, he was smiling as he spoke with Kaddar   
and Daine, directing them down a side corridor. Numair followed him, motioning for   
Theo and Justin to come behind him. The three ahead were talking about something or   
other that Theo couldn't hear, and when Lindhall turned to Daine and she handed him   
Kitten, Theo knew that they were close to the study, and stepped up her pace to catch   
Numair ahead of them.   
  
After a few more twists and turns, they came to a hallway with a door on the right side.   
The three stopped in front of it, and Numair paused a short ways behind them.   
  
"Let me in, dolt," Lindhall said, looking at the door as it opened. He walked in, followed   
by Daine and Kaddar.   
  
"That's how he talks to the key spell,' Kaddar told Daine, as Numair, Justin and lastly   
Theo filed silently inside the room.  
  
"I almost feel as if there is a sprite at work, not a spell," Lindhall told Daine cheerfully,   
and magicked his robe to fall on a coat hanger standing next to the door. Theo could see   
Justin looked astonished at this, and almost giggled aloud. "A small, not very clever,   
spiteful one." Lindhall continued about the door.   
  
"What about your assistant?" Daine asked him, while leaning down to pet a large turtle   
on the floor. It was trying to eat Zek, and he was making a ruckus, hiding in Daine's   
curly brown hair.   
  
"Out on fieldwork for the day," Lindhall told her, then looked at the still open door,   
glaring. "Close up," he told it, and the door slowly closed on its own. Justin, much to   
Theo's amusement, gaped open mouthed at it. "And that will be enough out of you Mr.   
Sandstone." He told the turtle, as he picked it up and put it in a back room. Theo didn't   
bother trying to look in it briefly as Daine did. She knew that it hid Numair's simu-  
thingy, and wondered for a moment what would happen to the end of Tamora's book   
now that they were here. She sighed, audibly, thinking that it was too much to figure out   
just now. No one heard her though. They were busy looking at Lindhall's collection of   
animals in their glass cages. As they spoke, Theo took the opportunity to look around,   
before the real explaining was going to tire her completely. Justin followed her as they   
slowly walked around the room, just enjoying the sights. When they got to a corner and   
stood next to Numair, a sharp whistling drew her gaze to the floor. There, the sky-blue   
Kitten was trilling sharply, and sounding angry. Numair rolled his eyes and sighed, then   
let his spell go. Theo could see the black clouds that had surrounded her, Justin and   
Numair flow back into Numair outstretched hands. Kaddar, Daine, and Lindhall turned   
in time to see the three of them appear out of thin air. Not one of them seemed surprised   
to see three people, two of whom looked very different in flares, baggy jeans, sneakers   
and sweatshirts.   
  
"You had to inform everyone?" Numair asked the dragon, who was now busy eating the bottom of   
Numair's robes.   
  
"About time," Daine told Numair. "I was beginning to think that we had lost you   
somewhere. And Numair, everyone knows already." She replied, smiling slightly as she   
found a seat on one of the couches in the large office, and looked at the two teenagers   
expectedly. "Well, now we are hear, where we can talk in private. Why don't   
we get on with it?"  
  
Lindhall smiled and sat behind a desk in a chair. "Yes. It is about time to hear your   
stories now. We have plenty of time, so why don't one of you begin?" He smiled   
comfortingly, leaned back, and motioned to another, empty, couch next to the wall.  
  
"Yes," agreed Numair, "I am sure we are all wondering how you seem to know much   
about us, and the reasons that Ozorne seems to want you particularly to help him." He   
looked pointedly at the couch, and sat next to Daine, who was petting Kitten, on the   
couch across the room.   
  
Theo looked at Justin, who nodded slightly, and together sat down on the couch and   
began to talk.   
  
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A/N: Oooookay!! So, how did everyone like the chapter??? Please please please   
review!! I need them!!! I LIVE off reviews!!!! Pleeeeease!!! Anywayz, with the   
begging out of the way… I would like to thank everyone who reviewed on all the other   
chapters!!!! It meant a lot to me!!! And to Cosmic Goddess, should she ever read this,   
there's a line in here somewhere that I owe to her!!! Arram knows what I mean!!! (or he   
should) * Grins evilly * And so, good people, I depart, with one final plea. PLEASE   
REVIEW!!!!!!!! Thank you, and Good nite!!!!   
  
Ah yes… and to whomever said that I could not spell… alas, this is true. Just ask any of   
the ppl I know, (no comments form any of you thank you!!! * glares at everyone who   
knows that I cant spell to save my life *) And so, I am sorry if you can tell that I   
probably took 'creative spelling' as an elective!!!! (I didn't really…. I swear!!!) But   
yeah, anywayz, that's all, and review my story please!!   
  
Ah yes.. and Arram, a big THANX!!! for helping me edit this!!! TY!! :D 


	9. Chapter Nine

Into the Wrong Hands: Chapter 9  
  
Disclaimer: you all kno the drill. If you don't recognize it, its not TP's, its mine.  
  
A/N: usually I wait till the end to write the authors note, but bear w/ me! I am sorry for not writing sooner. School is hell, and teachers are evil. Anywayz, thank you sooo much to all who reviewed!! Hope you like this chapter!  
  
  
  
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Theo and Justin began to talk. They told Numair and the others everything that had happened. The football game (Justin had tried to explain football to the Tortallans, but they just didn't get it, and he gave up after a while), the 'falling' into Carthak and the white room, the talk with the emperor, and for Numair and Lindhall, meeting Daine and Kaddar and escaping from the tunnels. After they had finished, they took a drink of water from Lindhall, and the questioning began.  
  
"So," began Numair, looking thoughtful, "the emperor told you nothing of how you were going to win the war for him?"  
  
Theo shook her head, and Justin said sadly, "No."  
  
Numair nodded, and then launched into more questions. "Theo, how were you able to tell that myself and Kaddar had the gift?" he looked particularly interested in this, and Theo sighed.  
  
"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I just saw that there was black fire coming from you (she looked at Numair) and red fire around that guy when we first landed--"  
  
"Theo," Justin interrupted, "I still don't know what the heck you are talking about. I didn't see any guy that was glowing red. What are you talking about?" Theo looked at him with her mouth slightly open.  
  
"What do you mean you didn't see him!? He was glowing red!" she exclaimed, standing up. She looked around at the rest of the room. They were all looking at her the same way; with a mixture of fear, confusion and awe. She sat on the couch quickly, feeling slightly lightheaded. What is going on, she thought crazily.  
  
"Theodora," Numair said gently, "we are not trying to accuse you of anything, but we need to know what is going on with this -er- interesting talent, and figure out what you can do." Theo felt overwhelmed, but listened. "We should do some experimenting," Numair went on, tugging on his long nose. There was an amused look passed between Daine and Kaddar and Theo remembered something from one of her books that that meant he was going to learn something. "Let's try something." He held out his hands as a black fireball collected there. He looked at his palm in complete concentration and it got larger as the moments passed. He finally cut his concentration and looked back at Theo. The rest of the room looked at her too, and she suddenly got a bit nervous.  
  
"Now," Numair began, the fire in his hand beginning to creep up and around his arm, then his head, and soon the rest of his body was covered in shimmering black fire. "What do you see?" he asked her calmly. Theo looked at everyone else. They were still staring. She wondered briefly if the others could see that the mage was glowing steadily.  
  
"Ummm…." She started not sure. "Well, you're, er, you're covered in black fire, and glowing." Numair nodded, and closed his palm. The cloud of black vanished as if it had never been, and Numair leaned back. I think that we need to think some things through. He turned to Lindhall. "What do you think?" he asked his teacher.  
  
Lindhall looked thoughtful for a moment. "I believe that we are discovering a new talent." He smiled and looked at Theo with amusement. "it seems the girl can see the gift on those that are doing spells, and tell what they are doing." He seemed happy, and Theo couldn't figure out why. She didn't quite understand what they were saying.  
  
"So, wait a sec," Justin said, sounding confused. "Are you saying that Theo has a giflt or whatever you call it to see other people's magic?"  
  
"That is precisely it Justin," Numair told him, and turned back to Theo. "Theo, have you ever seen this kind of glowing thing before?"  
  
Theo shook her head slowly. "No. We don't have mages, or magic where we come from. I've never seen people glow before, or do any kind of magic."  
  
"What!!?" came the surprised voice from the couch on the other side of the small office. Everyone had forgotten Daine and Kaddar, but now all eyes turned towards Daine, who had spoken so loudly. She continued sounding perturbed. "How could you not have mages? Who healed people? Who Saw things? How could you live with out magic?!" she looked appalled at the idea of not living with magic.  
  
Theo sighed. She had not wanted to tell them too much of their world. It didn't seem safe for some reason. "Well, ya see," she started, thinking of how to explain it. "We have doctors, and people just… I dunno… live with out magic." She finished lamely. She looked at Justin for help, but he just shrugged, not knowing how to explain any better. She looked back at the others, who all looked thoughtful.  
  
"Daine has brought us to another subject." Numair said slowly. "We need to find out where you two come from, so that we can send you back as soon as possible."  
  
Shit, Theo thought to herself. I didn't want to explain the whole books thing. She quickly went through in her mind all of the excuses she could make up for knowing so much about them. Any that came to her were too far fetched to ever work. She sighed, and began.  
  
"yes. Well." She paused, not knowing where to start.  
  
"You see, we come from another world where you guys are all just book characters," said a voice simply next her. She turned to face Justin, her temper rising.  
  
"God dammit Justin! I told you I wasn't going to tell them that because it could alter their very existence! You screwed everything!"  
  
"Who cares about them!!" Justin yelled back. "We need to figure out how to get ourselves home! Not worry about other people who don't even exist!" Everyone else in the room was forgotten, and Theo and Justin were standing up throwing remarks at each other at full volume.  
  
"I told you before. These people do exist! Tamora Pierce made them up and they exist!"  
  
"No they do not, and I will not sit here and play stupid while they decide our fate! We need to look out for ourselves! Who cares about their country and their war! It has nothing at all to do with us!" The two teens were screaming now, and the spectators were dumbstruck. They had never seen anyone fight like this. Especially people who had been so close just a while before.  
  
The fighting continued.  
  
"Justin! I cannot believe that you would be so selfish!" Theo exclaimed, then turned away from her ex-best friend and sat down on the couch, hard. She had tears in her eyes, and would not look at anyone.  
  
After Theo sat down, Justin seemed to realize that there were others in the room, and looked at each of them hardly. He crossed the room to be as far away from everyone else as possible, and sat down on a stool next to the door. He defiantly met the eyes of anyone who looked at him, but said nothing. There was a great pause before Numair finally stated:  
  
"Well. *cough cough * I believe that it is time for us to get back to the palace," he said, with a meaningful glance at Daine and Kaddar. "We can decide what we need to do tomorrow. You will be able to stay here for the night in the guest room in master Lindhall's quarters." He stood up and headed towards a back room and Lindhall, with a startled expression on his face, followed. Numair proceeded to turn into a large black hawk and fly out a door that Lindhall held open for him into a garden. Theo assumed he was going back to the palace. Kaddar and Daine got all of their belongings in order, Daine picked up Kitten from the couch next to the desk, and they headed towards the door.  
  
All was done with deliberate speed and not a lot of talking. Theo suddenly remembered something important and stood. "Daine," she said, just loud enough for her to hear. "I need to talk to you for a second." Theo didn't wait for an answer; she took Daine's elbow and dragged her into an empty study. Theo noted that it happened to be the room that held all of Lindhall's northern birds. She turned back to Daine and explained.  
  
"I needed to tell you that, well, I was sorry. I should have told you guys sooner, but it was all confusing and we were just so rushed and I didn't know what was going on. I mean, I all of a sudden fell into my favorite story books and I didn't know what to do and I was scared and there is so much that I ruined like you and the bringing back to life gift and the badger and, and I …" she spoke so rushed that she was sure that Daine had only caught half of what she had said, but she couldn't help that. She looked back up at Daine to see reaction. To her surprise, Daine's face was thoughtful, not angry.  
  
"Theodora," she started gently, "I don't care that you didn't tell me, but now that you mention it, it is true? We are from well, books? How is that possible?" she wondered out loud.  
  
"I don't know." Theo said sadly. "Tamora Pierce is a great author where I come form, and she just, I dunno, wrote your stories." She told her lamely.  
  
Daine thought for a moment, and then asked shrewdly, "How do you know about the bringing to life and the badger? That is a secret. And how could you know, well, all that other stuff? Unless…" she thought it out, and her face suddenly became clear. "I guess its true then. You can't know so much about us naturally. And I suppose anything is possible." She stated, shrugging.  
  
"Yeah!" Theo said, brightening. "Yeah. Like you and your dad being Weiryn and all. Anything is possib… oh shit." Theo realized that she had rambled on again, and now she had let out a huge secret. "Shit" she mumbled to herself again. Daine just stared at her with eyes as big as saucers.  
  
"My da is what?" she said quietly.  
  
"Umm… I didn't mean to… well… Shit!" Theo couldn't think of anything else to say. I had blown a whole plot point of the fourth book of Daine's series in about five seconds and all she could say was 'shit'?! she thought wildly. "Oops." She said softly, to herself more than Daine.  
  
Daine seemed incoherent. She was staring into space and Theo began to wonder what she was thinking. All of a sudden Daine snapped out of it. "My father is the god Weiryn?!" She said excitedly. Theo nodded mutely, staring at the ground. "Wow!" Daine breathed.  
  
"I shouldn't have said that." Theo said miserably. "You were supposed to find out on your own."  
  
"Oh that's okay!" Daine said happily. "I don't mind. I had a feeling that something like that was going on. But I still can't believe it." She said incredulously. Theo didn't have anything to say to that, so she let it be and changed the subject.  
  
"Well, you see," she started, wondering how to put this lightly. "Well, since I am here and all, the whole rest of this book that she wrote has gone to crap and now I don't know what's going to happen." She trailed off, mumbling about the rest of the book and how it was screwed. Daine stared at her.  
  
"You mean, you know how all of this ends?" she asked amazed.  
  
Theo blanched. Oh, man! Why did Justin have to go and open his big mouth? She quickly stopped thinking about Justin. That just brought on more feelings of fury and distrust. She looked back at Daine. "Well, yes," She said slowly. "But don't ask me about any of it, because I wont tell you!" The thought of Daine finding out what was going to happen in the last book made Theo want to slap herself for even thinking of telling Daine. She could never find out how it would all end up. What the hell would that, or this, do to the rest of the stories?  
  
Daine looked thoughtful again, and Theo was worried for a moment. "No, I suppose it wouldn't do very well to know what's going to happen to me would it?" She asked no on in particular. "Oh well." There was a knock on the door then, and Kaddar peeked his head in.  
  
"Daine, we need to get back to the palace now. It's going to be sundown soon." He nodded politely to Theo, and turned back. Daine turned away form Theo, but turned back when she got to the door.  
  
"Theo, was that all you wanted to tell me?" she asked her quickly. Theo nodded, not sure if it was, but felt that Daine needed to get back to the palace, before the emperor got suspicious. An emperor that suspected them of conspiring against him didn't live very long afterwards.  
  
She sighed as Daine went out the door, and into the hallway back to the palace. She didn't want to face Justin just yet, so she turned and looked back at the room she was in. It was filled with the glass cage that held all of the birds that came from Tortall. They were all looking at her with their heads to the side as if trying to think of what she was. The thought was unnerving. Theo turned again and looked at a desk on the far side of the room. She remembered reading about Daine waking up Bone, the skeleton bird, there. Sure enough, there was a bird skeleton embedded in a rock slab sitting on the desk. So much for waking that thing up, she thought ruefully.  
  
Everything was so messed up. How the heck was the book supposed to end if her and Justin were here messing everything up? Would the ending be different? Geeez, she thought, sitting on the ground next to a counter that was cluttered with ancient scrolls of animals or something. When did everything get so freaking complicated? She put her head up on her knees and just sat for a moment trying to clear her mind. It would not let her rest. Her thoughts swirled with Justin's outburst and Numair's theories about her new "gift" or whatever it was. She still wasn't sure. How could being able to tell if someone had the gift be able to help anyone, Ozorne in particular? It was all so confusing. There was a knock on the door after a few moments, and Lindhall put his head into the room.  
  
"You will be able to sleep here in my rooms. But this is a study, there are sleeping quarters in the back rooms." He smiled warmly, and Theo was comforted by it. She smiled back, and stood up, brushing of her jeans.  
  
"Thank you master Lindhall, sir." She said, and walked back into the main room. Justin was still there, this time looking at the iguanas in the glass cage. She ignored him and followed Lindhall through another door and into yet another room. This one was fashioned with a small bed and rug on the floor. It was very 'homey' looking. Theo felt a twang of homesickness, before pushing that feeling down. She didn't want to feel sorry for herself, she wanted to help the Tortallans with what they needed. Justin came in a few seconds later, and went straight for the couch next to the sole window of the room. The light from outside was fading fast, and Theo wondered where the day had gone. She sighed once more and sat on the small bed.  
  
Justin coughed from behind her, and she looked around at him. "what?" she asked, distainfully.  
  
"Are you going to be mad at me now, just because I said what I felt?" He asked sounding hurt, and looked at her with those gorgeous blue eyes of his. Theo felt her insides melt again. But then she hardened her resolve.  
  
"These people are real Justin." she told him compellingly. "and I know that you don't think its worth it, but there are tons of people in Tortall that are good and, and stuff…" she couldn't figure out what else to say to convince him that Tortall a great place.  
  
"But Theo," he started again, "you don't know that. All of those books tell about how great this fairy tale place is. It might be real, but we don't have anything to do with it. We need to worry about getting home." His argument was sound. She knew that they needed to find some way to get home, but she also knew that she could never go against Tortall. It would feel to much like betrayal. But they still needed a way home.  
  
"What are you saying?" she asked, unsure of what he meant.  
  
"what I am saying, Theo, is that maybe this emperor guy knows how to get us home. he is the one who brought us here. And these people don't even know what they did to get us here, let alone how to send us home. I am just saying that maybe we should consider all sides of this before we declare ourselves allied to any side." He stopped, not used to giving speeches on his beliefs. He watched Theo as she sat, thoughtful on the bed, with her knees up to her chest. She is so pretty, he said for the thousandth time in his head. But what mattered now was getting them back home, where everything was normal. He didn't care about these people or their problems. What he cared about was how to get out of this crazy place that was a danger to them and everyone they stayed with. He felt a little guilty about suggesting going behind these people's back that had been so nice to them, but not enough to consider being totally loyal to one side. He looked back at Theo, though, to see her reaction.  
  
Theo was considering what Justin had said so passionately. She still couldn't do that to Daine the wildmage and Numair, especially after they had been so kind to them by placing themselves in danger to help her and Justin. It just didn't seem right. "I couldn't do that Justin. These people risked a lot for us. They could have been captured and killed by Ozorne at any time for this, but they still helped. I won't do that." She told him, making up her mind. "Besides," she continued, "do you remember what those guards did? They were mean and horrible, and the emperor was creepy. I will not go back to him!" She knew that she could never willingly go over to the emperor and bargain a deal like he was suggesting. It just didn't work with Ozorne.  
  
Justin shook his head, but then sighed. "I guess your right," he told her dejectedly, "I just can't just stay here not doing anything when we could… I don't know, be doing something." He shrugged. "You know what I mean?" he asked her. She nodded, and sighed, for what felt like the thousandth time that day. All of the events of the day caught up with her at once, and she suddenly felt a thousand years old. She lay down on the bed, closing her eyes. She just wanted to sleep now. She could figure out everything else later. Now, she just wanted to sleep. And that was what she did.  
  
  
  
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A/N: well hey folks!! Hmm.. I know its been umm… well, *cough * a whole month *cough * since I last updated, but I hope that this nice extra long chapter makes up for it!! Hehehe, anywayz, I want to know what everyone thinks!! Plz plz plz plz plz plz plz review!!!!!!!! I neeeed reviews!!! And PrincessWattNin, they are NOT evil!!!! They help me get to know what I need to do for future chapters!! *lol * anywayz, just please review!! And to all those who did review.. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! It means soooo much!!  
  
And..  
  
To arram, thanx for the ideas!! Hope that my plot is getting better….  
  
To safiya, I read ur bio, thankx sooo much 4 the compliments!!!  
  
Kristy, I luv compliments!! And I am glad to be one of ur first fics!!!!  
  
To everyone!! I will try and update more often, and you all need to review!!! Review! Review now, or the leprechans will come after you!!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!  
  
Umm.. ya, just review plz. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Into the Wrong Hands: Chapter 10  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters except Theo and Justin. The country Carthak and all that is affiliated with it belong to Tamora Pierce.  
  
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"Theodora, you must wake," a strange voice was calling. Theo groaned and turned over in the warm bed, hiding deeper into the covers.  
  
"Theodora," the voice continued. Theo's only reply was to pull the covers all the way over her head. "Theodora, it is late. You need to be up, and awake." The voice was harsher now, and someone jarred her shoulder, shaking the last bits of sleep from her body.  
  
"Whadda want?" asked the drowsy Theo, throwing the cover back and glaring at the owner of the voice. It was Lindhall, and he looked a bit miffed at her. She didn't care at the moment. She was tired, and wanted to sleep. "What time is it?" she asked him groggily, looking around the room. It was still as orderly as it had been when she had fallen asleep. The suns rays only slightly penetrating the room, it looked to be still very early. She looked towards the couch that Justin had apparently slept on, and had to grin. Justin was still asleep, half falling off of the couch. That was just like him. He was always able to sleep in any position.  
  
Lindhall interrupted her thoughts, answering her earlier question tartly. "It is half and hour past sun-up already, and—"  
  
"It's what!?" Theo interrupted. "Half an hour… that means its like 6:30!" she practically yelled, and fell back onto the bed, covering herself with the blanket once more. "No descant person gets up at this ungodly hour!" Lindhall could hear her mumble under the blanket. He stared at the lump of the blanket, astonished that someone could sleep so long. He stood back with his mouth slightly open, and then turned to Justin, who seemed to have been woken up by Theo's yelling.  
  
Justin looked back and shrugged, smiling slightly. "She's not much of a morning person," he explained to the confused looking Lindhall. Stifling a laugh, he got up from the couch and stumbled through a door to the dressing room. Lindhall followed, shaking his head.  
  
"I have acquired clothes that you and Theodora can wear in public without causing suspicion as to your origins." Lindhall told him, handing a stack of clothes to the boy. He took them from Lindhall, and held them up to inspect them. Almost immediately, he turned up his nose in distaste at these new clothes. There was a shirt, but it looked baggy, and had full- length arms that flared at the hands. He wasn't sure he was going to like this. Apprehensively, he picked up the pants. They were tight looking, and brown. But I like my baggy pants. He whined inside. What he though, was a small thanks to Lindhall, and went into the smaller dressing room, to attempt to put on these strange clothes.  
  
Lindhall left him to sort the clothes out, and returned to the main room, to see if he could persuade the girl to get out of bed. He went to the edge, and saw that she was still covered by the blankets. He sighed. What was it going to take to get her up? He thought, exasperated. He shook her again, but all she did to respond was groan, and shiver deeper into the bed. After a few more minutes of calling and coaxing and shaking, he was getting frustrated. A noise from the other side of the room made him look up, and smile at what he saw.  
  
Justin appeared from the dressing room, looking like the picture of a scholar at the University. Lindhall had picked out tan breeches and a light blue shirt that spoke of wealth and prestige, but at the same time, told the people that he was a scholar. Justin, however, looked pained. He had an uncomfortable look on his face, and he was shifting in the doorway.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Lindhall asked him politely.  
  
Justin fidgeted even more, but finally whined, "These are uncomfortable." Lindhal shook his head, and turned back to the challenge of waking Theo. He was interrupted, however, on his first unsuccessful shake.  
  
"No, no, no," Justin said, laughing, but coming to the edge of Theo's bed to help Lindhall. "You'll never get her up like that. She's built up an immunity to her little sisters. You have to kind of, well, scare her into getting up." He grinned at this, and stepped closer to the bed, taking hold of the top of the covers and taking a deep breath. "THEODORA! GET UP NOW!" he bellowed at her, ripping the blanket off the bed at the same time.  
  
Theo's reaction was instantaneous. She leapt up from the bed, on her feet on the floor in seconds. She was panting, and breathing heavily, when she looked wildly around her. She took in Lindhall, standing a few feet back, looking amazed. Her eyes then moved to Justin, standing a little bit away, holding the blanket that had been on her bed, and laughing quietly to himself.  
  
"I am going to kill you!" she yelled at him, her face getting redder by the second. "Why the hell did you have to go and do that? I was trying to sleep! Do you know what time it is?" she was prepared to rant on longer, but she was interrupted, not by Justin, but Lindhall this time.  
  
"Young lady," he said calmly, looking at Theo. She gulped. Only her father called her young lady, and that was when she was in trouble. She shut up, and looked at him. "I am perfectly aware of what time it is, and it is late. I have a group of scholars coming to my office today, who need only to see two stowaways in my chambers to report it to the Emperor. Now," he said calmly, "do you want that to happen?" Theo shook her head, and looked at the floor, ashamed of herself.  
  
"No, sir," she said quietly. "And I am sorry I didn't get up. I, well, I'm not much of a morning person…" she trailed off, and looked back at Justin again. What she saw made her giggle a bit. "Where did you get those clothes?" she asked him, her amusement more than evident.  
  
Justin's face went red, and he stood straighter. "It's so we blend in," he defended, blushing horribly. Theo giggled again.  
  
"Don't worry, Theodora," Lindhall told her. She made a mental note to get him to call her Theo like everyone else, but listened otherwise. "I have clothes for you also." This stopped Theo's giggling immediately.  
  
"What?" she asked wildly. "I'm not wearing those clothes!" she shook her head, to emphasize her point. There was no way they would get her to look as much of a clown as Justin did.  
  
Lindhall shook his head. "Of course not. I wouldn't put you in those clothes."  
  
"Oh, good-" she started, but was cut off again.  
  
"You can't wear those clothes," Lindhall said, now smiling. "You must wear a dress, as is appropriate for a lady of your age."  
  
Theo stared at him, openmouthed. It was Justin's turn to try and hide a laugh. "A what?" she said finally, but didn't bother to let him answer. "No way! No way are you going to get me into a dress!" the horrible picture of a middle-ages corset came to her mind, and she shook her head forcefully. "There is no way I am wearing a dress."  
  
Lindhall looked put off once more at her audacity. "But you must," he told her, stepping forward. Unknown to Theo, Justin crept closer on the other side. "You must wear a gown, or people here will talk, and bring attention to you. Attention, my dear, is the last thing you want right now."  
  
Theo said nothing, but continued to sputter and shake her head.  
  
"Theo," Justin said quietly from behind her, making her jump. How did he get so close with out me knowing? She asked herself. "Master Lindhall has guests, and you need to be as inconspicuous as possible." He told her, his voice soft and calming.  
  
Theo knew he was right, and hated him for it. Why did he always have to be right about the stupid stuff? She sighed, and resigned, letting Justin drag her to the dressing room door. Lindhall handed her a small stack of clothes from a cupboard to her left, and left her to it. She sighed again, and looked around. There was a mirror next to the sink, but it was small. How was anyone supposed to see their entire outfit? she wondered. She ignored it, though, and went back to her stack of clothes that she held. She picked out the dress, and held it up. It was a cream colored gown, with small, needle point decorations at the top. It really doesn't look half bad, she told herself resentfully. She still didn't want to wear a dress. It wasn't that she didn't like getting dressed up. She always went all out for formal dances and stuff. But when she wanted to be comfortable, all she wore was jeans and a T-shirt. Right now, she didn't wasn't to be dressed up. She wanted to be comfortable and she didn't care if she was raggy looking. Just wear it, she snapped at herself, and began to undress. She slowly figured out how to fit the undergarments on, (There are so damn many! She thought while struggling with them.) and was just tying the last laces in the back of the dress when Justin called from the other side of the door.  
  
"Theo?" he was speaking quietly, trying to hide his annoyance. "Are you going to take all morning?" he asked her.  
  
"Shut up." She murmured back, not caring at the moment. "I am going as fast as I can." She snapped back to him. She finally finished with the laces, pulled on the slightly small boots, and still tying them, opened the door.  
  
Justin looked surprised that she had opened the door so soon, but quickly got over it. He stared at Theo, who was still bent over tying her shoelaces quickly. She stood up, slightly wobbly on the shoes, which were raised a bit, but steadied herself. She looked back at Justin, who now had boots himself on, who was presently staring at her.  
  
"What?" she asked shortly, after a few moments where he said nothing. "Why're you staring at me?" she asked him, suddenly worried that she looked horrendous.  
  
Justin started, and smiled at Theo. "Nothing," he told her, looking amused. "Nothing at all." Theo didn't trust him, but simply walked out to the main room shaking her head. He was being weird again. Theo passed Justin, and walked quickly to Lindhall's office. They found him studying a pack of lizards in one of his glass tanks, seemingly lost for the moment.  
  
"err… Master Lindhall?" Theo asked after a second.  
  
"I must insist you stop calling me 'Master'" he told them, amusement playing on his face. "I have not reached the level of mastery, and therefore do not deserve the title."  
  
Theo grinned. "Then I must insist that you stop calling me Theodora," she told him. "Only my mother calls me Theodora, and that's only when I'm in trouble."  
  
Lindhall grinned, and turned away from the lizards to address the two teens. They looked perfect. Just like two students who would not be noticed in a crowd of people, which was what they needed at the moment. "Thank you both for wearing these clothes. I appreciate it, if no one else will." He winked at Theo, and continued. "I do have other mages coming here today though, and you two cannot be here for the meeting. You will need to go downstairs into the University and spend the day, where you will not be noticed. Perhaps the library will help with some books on spells to transfer people to alternate universes." He said, slightly worried at the news.  
  
Theo was divided. A day to themselves could be helpful. They could sit and discuss what they wanted to do, where they wanted to go, and most importantly, how they were going to get home. On the other hand, they might get lost in this huge city size university, and Theo did not want to spend a day of wandering through a strange country with a very angry emperor on her tail. The experience didn't sound pleasant. Lindhall assuaged her fears almost immediately however.  
  
"do not worry about getting lost, though," he said smiling. Any one you ask will be happy to tell you where my office is, and they cannot suspect anything, because I often have many pupils some to me during off hours to discuss my class. No one will suspect anything." he smiled at them both, and went to the door. "I am afraid that they will be coming soon, so I must show you both to the library, and you can find your way to everywhere else from there." He led them out the door-which shut behind them on its own-and down the hall.  
  
They walked for a while, Theo tripping on the hem of her dress only a few times. It was hard to walk all the time holding part of the skirt up. She suddenly gained a lot of admiration for the women who dressed like this all the time here. They finally arrived, after many twists and turns in the corridors, on the ground floor in a spacious hallway. It was different from the one they had entered yesterday. It had no special decorations on the walls and it looked like it was less used.  
  
On the far end, slightly to the left of them, were two huge doors. As they walked closer in silence, Theo could tell they were made of some exotic looking wood, and were carved with beautiful designs full of animals and many books. Lindhall pushed on an Ivory handle and opened the door into the largest library that Theo had ever seen, even in movies. It was huge. Filled with people of all ages sitting and reading a large volume, or walking around the large rows of bookcases searching for something in particular.  
  
Lindhall led them to a small table in the middle of the room, and they quietly sat down, Lindhall whispered to them, "Good luck. I will need you back at my office at three-o-clock. See you then." And turned back and strode out of the room.  
  
Theo sat, looked around her, appreciating at all the wonderful books that had to be stored here and learning that could be done here. She looked back at Justin, who was sitting in his seat looking glum. "What's the matter?" she asked him in a whisper, leaning close to hear the answer.  
  
"We're stuck in a Library for the next few hours." He whispered fiercely back at her. "What do you think is the matter?" Theo just shook her head and grinned. That was just like Justin. To think he could be bored in a library amused her, but that was always like him.  
  
"Don't be such a spoil sport." She told him sniggering. "I'm sure you can find a nice math book or something here." He perked up at that, and they stood and made their way to a random aisle and started looking at the books. The first ones they saw made Theo's mind implode. They had bizarre titles, most of which she couldn't even understand. Then there was the occasional book that looked to be written in an entirely different language that Common, which was what the university seemed to use for everything. Theo couldn't even begin to decipher those. Justin wandered off to an aisle with the heading, 'Arithmacy' and started looking at books there.  
  
]  
  
Theo was content just to search for a title in random aisles that looked interesting. She finally settled on finding the aisle that had the sign 'Transportation', and looked up and down the aisle there. She went up and down the aisle a few times, trying to find a book that looked even remotely easy to understand. She finally came across a weathered book with a broken spine titled, The Mage Craft of Trans-Universal Travel. This looks promising, she thought, taking it from the shelf and hefting it into her arms. Its heavy! She exclaimed inwardly.  
  
She resolved to settle the massive volume in the crook of her elbow and slowly made the way back to the table, grumbling about weighty books as she walked. As she was passing the end of a bookcase, a steady glow caught her eye.  
  
She forgot about the book in her hands and made her way to the bookcase. There, it was a book, radiating a steady, pale glow. She set the transportation book down on the floor and looked around a moment. There were a few people around her in the aisle, but none seemed to take any notice of the light coming from the book in front of her. Weird, she thought. Defiantly very weird. Her mind raced, and she suddenly remembered speaking to Numair the day before. He had said that she could see magic… Was this a magicked book that no one could see but her? Shouldn't Lindhall know that there was a book full of magic in the Library?  
  
She laughed to herself after thinking that last thought. This was a University of Magic! Shouldn't there be books full of magic in the library? Of course, she told herself, there were probably tons of books here with magic in them. Theo was curious, however, as to what kind of book would need magic in it itself. She bent further to take a look at the title, and received a surprise.  
  
It had to title on the binding. Theo, unthinking, reached down to pull it out of the shelf to look at the cover. The moment her had touched to binding, there was an almighty roar in her ears, and Theo felt the all-too familiar feeling behind her stomach. OH CRAP! She shouted, though she couldn't hear herself. She was falling through a black pit, and her stomach was in her throat. When would it end? Theo was still falling when the darkness overtook her. 


	11. Returns and Betrayals

Into the Wrong Hands 

Chapter Eleven: Returns and Betrayals

A/N:  well,  obviously its been a little while since I last updated this.  *Ducks as reviewers and friends pelt me with pencils and erasers*  Sorry.  I had a little case of writers block. *Glares at large block the size of Mt. Everest in my mind*  But no worries!  Im back now, and I have a plan!!! **::DUN DUN DUN::**  just sit back, and read and enjoy!!    And ah yes, don't forget to review.  

**Disclaimer**: you know the drill… I don't own anyone except Justin and Theo, and not really even them, they are their own people.  Happy reading!

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Theodora woke to the sounds of shouting, and a huge booming voice above her. 

She opened her eyes and saw, blurrily, huge stumps in front of her, and then a face swam into her vision.  

"Theo!" the face called, and Theo's mind suddenly snapped back.  Her vision cleared, and she sat up suddenly and looked wildly around. 

She was in the football stadium, the bottom more specifically, with hundreds of people around her, many staring at the girl laying at the bottom of the concrete steps.  What the.. ? Theo looked at the person next to her.

"Sara!" she exclaimed.  She was back.  What had happened?  Hadn't she been in Carthak, in the huge library? And where was Justin?  "Sara," she said hurriedly to her friend, who was looking at her worriedly, "where's Justin? He fell too. Where is he?" 

"Calm down girl!" Sara told her friend.  Theo would have none of it though.  She struggled up, and noticed for the first time that she was covered in some liquid…  Coke! She thought miserably.  I remember now, we fell down the steps, and I'm drenched in coke and, she pulled a sticky piece of candy from her hair and groaned. Coke and candy and popcorn! GROSS! 

"Come on," Sara told her, taking her arm gently and leading her away from the staring people and towards the girls' bathroom.  

"Wait! Sar," Theo was frantic again.  "Justin! Where is he?"

Sara gave her a confused look before she asked slowly, "Theo, did you hit your head?"

Theo gave an exasperated sigh.  "No!  But I need to find Justin, he might be trapped." 

Sara starred outright at her then, and Theo knew she had said the wrong thing. They're just books, Theo yelled at herself, no one here's going to believe you!  What about Justin? another part yelled back.  What happened to him?  She tried to compose herself, and tried one more time. 

"Sara, didn't Justin fall down the steps with me?" she looked her friend in the eyes, and willed her to answer.  

Sara looked blank, but shortly answered, "Theo, I don't know what you're talking about.  Justin didn't show up tonight.  Do you know where he went?"   

Theo's head spun.  Wait! Her mind shouted at her.  How could he not have shown up? He fell down the stairs with me, he was here before me, and… and…  Theo sat down on the Girls' bathroom floor, not caring what she sat on.  She was already covered in every gross thing imaginable, wasn't she?  Whatever, her mind retorted. It seemed to be retaliating at the storm of action that had taken place in the past few days, or, wait minutes? 

"Oh, I am so confused!" she muttered, putting her head in her hands.  

"Yeah, me too." She heard from an exasperated Sara somewhere above her.  

Theo sighed.  She would have to figure this all out later.  As of now, she wanted to go home, and get clean.  Some part of her cried at that. What about Justin? Isn't that betrayal? I'm too tired to care, she told herself, and got up slowly. 

"Sar, I just want to go home," she told her friend, who nodded, as if almost glad to be rid of her.  Theo didn't care at the moment. She nodded to Sara, and headed out the door to the parking lot.  

After only about twenty minutes of searching, and the help of one of her other friends she had come with, she found her small, beat up Toyota in the school parking lot. She feebly drove home, muttered hello to her parents, and went upstairs.  She took a long shower, getting the grimy soda and stickiness from her hair, and crawled into bed. She could worry about Justin, Daine, Numair, Lindhall and Carthak tomorrow, when she had had a decent nights sleep.  With that thought, she drifted off into dreamland.  

                                                                      ~*~

Looking through the Arithmacy books at the library in Carthak, Justin heard a scream that sounded frighteningly familiar, and felt a weird sensation all at once. He ran out into the aisle and saw a glimpse of Theo, her face a mask of terror, clutching an old looking book.  Next, he wasn't entirely sure what happened, but a flash of light blinded him and every other on-looker now crowded around, and when people opened their eyes enough to see, there was no longer a young girl in front of them, on the floor holding a book.  

Justin was beside himself with terror. What had happened? Where was Theo, and what had happened?  After thouroghly searching the aisle and books that Theo had been looking at he made an inconspicuous dash for the exit when he saw guards coming to look at the scene.  He ran in the direction of Master Lindhall's quarters, or what he hoped was the direction. This place was so confusing. After much searching, he finally asked one of the young scholars where he could find the office, and followed the directions. 

After ages of walking, he began to recognize the hallway, and found the door with Mater Lindhall written in curly writing on it.  He knocked, and heard a soft voice from the other side mutter "Come in." 

He entered the suit, hoping that the mage was here alone.  

He was lucky. The man who had so willingly given up his rooms for them was sitting behind the desk, writing papers. Lindhall must have noticed the flushed look about Justin, because he sat up immediately when he saw him.

"What is it boy?  Where is Theodora?" Justin gaped for a moment, and then launched into a story from the library and flashes of white light that needed many questions from the mage to get strait. 

When Justin had told his entire story, Lindhall sat back in his chair, a worried look on his face.  

"I don't know what to tell you Justin," he began.   Justin sat up from his seat on a couch across from Lindhall outraged.  

"What do you mean you don't know what to tell me?" he yelled.  "You can tell me things are going to be all right!  You can tell me that you're going to find a way to find her! You can tell me that you will get everyone you know on to finding Theo!  What happens if that guy gets a hold of her?  We have to find her!"  He ended his speech on a desperate note, and fell back to the couch, holding back the tears that he knew would come.  Guys didn't cry though, and he wouldn't, not even now.  

Lindhall looked calmly at Justin during his tirade.  The young boy had a pained, but determined expression on his face, and the teaching master knew that this boy would do anything to find his friend.  It was clear they had been very close, and the teacher wondered at that for a moment.  

But it was that expression alone worried Master Reed more than anything else.  

He sighed; he would have to say something that would placate the frightened teenager.  "Justin, listen to me.  I promise I will do everything in my power to find her, but you must understand.  The Emperor has many spies, many which were probably in that Library.  We must be careful."   

Justin closed his eyes and put his head in his hands as a response.                                                             

*

Theodora woke the next day groggily, looking at the alarm clock on her bedside table.  

12: 39

What?  It's past noon!  She hurriedly brushed the last of the sleep from her eyes, and sat up.  

What had her dream been about?   Tamora Pierce books and falling into their world?   Daine, Numair, Lindhall, Justin?  Theo was confused.  What had happened?  The library, a book, glowing things and people?  But that had all been a dream, hadn't it?  It was all a blur at the moment, but Theo felt a sense of urgency.  There was something she needed to know, but her mind wouldn't let her concentrate on it.  She tried to bring the thought to her, but it wouldn't cooperate.  

Theo cursed under her breath, and got out of bed.   It was past time for her to be up.  She wondered idly as she got dressed why her parents had not woken her.  They usually woke her up around nine or ten, and they would never let her sleep past noon.  She ran a brush through her wild curls and went downstairs, dressed casually in jeans and a Roxy T-shirt.  

"Mom?" she called, going downstairs, listening for her parents.  "Dad?"  It didn't seem as if anyone was home, at all.  Strange, she thought.  She went into the kitchen to find something to eat, and found a piece of notebook paper lying on the counter.  It was a note, from her parents.  

_Theo,_

_We went to the farmers market this morning, to get some stuff for dinner.  I'll be home in time to see you to the hairdresser, don't worry.  Good luck with tonight!_

_Mom_

PS. Dad went to Home Depot.  You know him.  He'll be a few hours at the least. Have fun getting ready.  Sara can come over if you need.     

Theo sat confused for a moment, then the thought struck her.  Homecoming!  The dance was tonight!  Homecoming dance.  Everyone would be dressed up, and Theo had planned everything with her friends months in advance.  

Something about this news made Theo worry, but once again, she couldn't remember why.  

The thought of Homecoming made her think of Justin.  They had agreed mutually to go with each other, just as friends.  Justin.  There was something wrong, and Theo couldn't place it, but she knew then that it had something to do with Justin.  Something was horribly wrong.  

She grabbed the cordless phone on the counter next to the note, and quickly dialed Justin's number from memory.  

"Hello?" came a female voice that Theo recognized as Justin's mom from the other line.   

"Um, Hi," Theo started,  "I'm looking for Justin.  Is he there?"  There was a slight intake of breath from the person on the other end, before she answered.  

"No, He's not here right now.  Is this Theo?" 

"Yeah," Theo answered, wondering where Justin could possibly be.

"Oh hello dear.  No Justin's not here, he didn't come home last night from the game.  I think he went to Trevor's." Theo frowned at that.  Something was defiantly wrong. 

"Okay then, thanks Mrs. Neilson." Theo said her goodbyes, and hung up the phone, thoroughly confused.  

What had happened last night?

She had gotten there, and then sat with Justin.  He was there last night; she knew that.  And the JV game had ended, and Varsity had begun.  Then we went to get food.  In a flashback Theo remembered it all.  

They had fallen, and that's where her strange dream about the books had come from?  But wait, had she dreamed when she fell, unconscious?  That didn't make sense. Theo remembered Sara looking at her weird, and taking her to the bathroom.  But hadn't she said Justin hadn't been there?  It was all so confusing!   

Sara said Justin wasn't there, but I know he was, at least before we fell.  Fell.   

That's it! she realized with horrible clarity.  Everything that had happened last night suddenly came crashing back to her troubled mind.  Falling, into Carthak, and getting picked up by Daine and Numair and Kaddar and Lindhall taking care of her, and the dress that he gave her.  

What was going on?   That wasn't possible, was it?  Arriving suddenly into the land of storybooks and fairy tales?  But it had happened, and Theo knew that they had.  For at least three days, they had been in Carthak, in a couple of storybooks, and no one on earth was going to believe her.

**

Justin was running out of patience for the mage and his excuses.   It was all starting to piss him off.   Where was Theo, and was she alright were questions that kept popping into his mind at the most inopportune times. 

Currently he was trying to get to sleep in Master Lindhall's quarters, on the couch that he had slept on last night.  It wasn't working very well.  His mind wouldn't let him rest, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to.  He was worried about his best friend, and he knew that sleeping would not get him any closer to having her back in his arms.  And he wanted her there.  More than anything now, he wanted Theo back, just to hold her.  He knew he felt strongly about her, much more than just a best friend.  And now that she was gone, he didn't know what to do, and he felt he would go out of his mind with worry if he thought about her in trouble.  

Resignedly, he got off the couch and made his way back to Lindhall's study, where he was reading something.  Probably snoozing, Justin thought, annoyed at the man slightly, though he had no real idea why.  

When he made it to the door to the study, currently closed, he paused, hearing voices on the other side.  One was Lindhall, there was no mistaking that lilting tone.  He wasn't sure about the other however. It was a man defiantly, and it sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it.  He forgot about it though, putting his ear to the door and eavesdropping on their conversation without a second thought.  

"Lindhall," the mystery man was saying, "we cant worry about the girl right now, we have to continue on the plan to get the Prince out of the palace if anything goes wrong, and making sure the diplomats know the situation."

"I know, Numair. (So that's who this guy was, Justin thought from the other side of the door.) But I have to worry about her.  What happens if the Emperor gets a hold of her?  We were just learning and discussing her newfound abilities.  You know very well what the Emperor will do with experimental magic.  Your young Veralidaine is in danger as well."

When Numair answered, he sounded livid, and Justin subconsciously backed away from the door in astonishment. 

"Diane _is_ in danger, and that is unacceptable in itself.  And, unfortunately, I know that will fight to protect Daine more than this other girl, Theodora, when it comes down to it.  I cannot loose her."  

"I know you feel for the girl, numair, but, well, honestly, you put yourself in great risk envoking the Emperor's wrath for her.  _You_ must be careful as well, you know." Lindhall sounded like a father, berating a young son.  

"I know," was the curt reply.  Why does this guy have to be careful about the emperor? Justin wondered.  "But the simulacrum (the what!?) will be my safety net, as long as Ozorne catches it and not me, I'm perfectly fine. He never did allow himself to believe anyone was better than he. The fact that mine have magic alone will distract him long enough for me to do what I need" Numair sounded bitter, and the room was silent for a moment before Lindhall spoke.

"The simulacrum will deceive the Emperor, yes, but not if he catches you first. And even though it looks and feels like you, but he wont be deceived for long." After that there was mumbling that Justin couldn't make out for a moment, and then he clearly heard goodbyes from both Numair and his teacher.  Justin hurriedly backed away from the door, going back to the couch to pretend to be asleep.  

Just in time as well, for as soon as the teen closed his eyes, he heard Lindhall open the door between study and rooms, and walk in.  He tried for all the world to look asleep, facing the back of the chair, and wishing that the man behind him would just go away.  After a few moments, he did, and Justin breathed a sigh of relief.  He sat up, tired now, and thought about what he had just heard.  

This man Numair, and Lindhall as well, were double crossing the Emperor guy.  What was so bad about him any way?  The image of that man that he and Theo had been dragged before days ago flashed into his mind. He had been powerful, that Justin could tell just from looking at him.  But why were these men, and perhaps others, betraying the man?  They are just as guilty as him, whatever he did, by becoming spies and such.  And this powerful man who ruled this country might be able to help him, Justin thought.  He could help him get Theo back, and then get home.  

Wait a moment, a conscience cried out in his mind.  This emperor guy kidnapped me and Theo, why would he help me?  Maybe I can get him to bring Theo back, from wherever she is, and then we'll escape.  Surely it was possible; they had easily escaped before.   And this guy and his wizards or whatever will be able to bring back Theo, from wherever she is, that's all that's important.  

But where _was_ Theo.  What had happened to her?  If these guys, Lindhall and all, cant find her, how will the Emperor.  He brought us here in the first place, Justin argued back, he will be able to find her, and then I will get her to safety, and we can get back to Numair so he can take us home, if at all possible.  

But how would the Emperor know he was telling the truth?  Why would he trust him?  

The Deceivers.  

Justin could tell him about the simu-thingies, and that this Numair guy could put magic in them, isn't that what he had said.  Justin tried hard to remember the exact words of the conversation.  He was pretty sure he had said that.   This emperor didn't know, and that information could help him get to the Emperor, and he could get Theo back.  

That same conscience came back up to tell him that this plan was mean, and betraying to the people that had helped him and Theo when they had been in danger.  But it will bring Theo back, he argued sensibly. 

That was all that mattered, getting Theo, because he could imagine not having her.  And however cunning and deceiving his plan sounded in his mind, he had to go through with it,

If only for Theo. 


End file.
